


True Blood Masquerade

by Tunder28



Category: Hellboy (Movies), Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines (Video Game)
Genre: ALL VAMP RACES, Bloody, F/M, M/M, Vampire AU, Violent, bloodlines ref, vampire Myth
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-25
Updated: 2018-08-16
Packaged: 2018-08-27 00:30:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 22
Words: 43,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8380675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tunder28/pseuds/Tunder28
Summary: “So you are….” John questioned cautiously, too anxious to outright ask about the smartly dressed elderly man, standing as still as a statue and tilting his head at John like he was the strange and unusual one.  “Embraced by the darkness and wearer of its cloak to your shield. And you must be one of Adams kine, from the dust you have risen and to it you shall return…and on that note, I am professor Broom”.“Dust? ... Adam?” John slowly inquired, raising an eyebrow.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Very loosely based on the video game Vampire the Masquerade- bloodlines.  
> Again-Special thanks to my sis for hashing out the details.

                  

“Goddddd…” John grumbled, stretching out his back as he exited his car, shutting the door with a dull metal thud. He’d been sitting down most of the day doing reports, a punishment given to him by the captain for being disagreeable in one too many meetings.

Apparently, they didn’t like an agent who had a brain.

He knew he was in the right, questioning bad plans and pushing for safety protocol, but it didn’t go down too well with the bigger boots who wanted to run head first into the action. John was only trying to ensure as many agents survived the wreckage the hot heads produced.

But he was home now, he needed to get in the house, get something hot and food related in him and then go to bed.

He was so tired it was beginning to go past the point of exhaustion and towards second wind symptoms.

But-

“Crap” John hissed as he straightened his spine, the quick cracking noise both painful and blissful and bringing his mind to wakefulness enough to remind him he had no food in the house.

He glanced back at the car and thinking about trying to be healthy, turned his back to it and started walking to the corner shop. It was usually open until midnight due to its liquor license and sold one or two sandwiches that he could eat for dinner and feel bad about later.

The noises of the city were plentiful in New York considering it was night-time, but there was a reason why it was called the city that never sleeps. Sadly for John, his section of the city he’d chose to live in wasn’t known for being a quiet and friendly neighbourhood.

To be fair, it hadn’t had any shooting or stabbings in months, but there was always the possibility of-

The noise of a gun going off- close by actually- startled John badly. Automatically, his hand went to his holster and he said a silent thank you to himself for not taking it off or leaving it in the car. He’d never left it lying around, as while there wasn’t any gun or knife problems, car theft was a major one and he’d never wanted his gun attached to a random shooting case.

He bypassed the corner shop, catching sight of the owner locking the door with rapid movements and eyeing John wearily as he passed, edging around the side of the building to see what he was dealing with.

Three men, two  Caucasian and one African American, all over 6ft and pointing handguns into the mouth of the alleyway.

Easing back around the corner, John slipped out his phone and speed dialled the front desk of the precinct. He was instantly put through, the sharp voice of Erika asking for his whereabouts.

“This is Agent Myers-” he spoke softly to ensure he didn’t draw attention to himself before he could call for assistance. “-Requesting backup in the Jerico district. Three male suspects, armed with handguns and firing potentially at the public”

“All clear agent Myers, sending an armed unit your way, 2 minutes out. Sit tight”.

John waited for the click in his ear to signal the call had ended and glanced around the corner again, making sure that the situation hadn’t escalated. The men were complete preoccupied, howling like animals and cheering as each of them took turns firing.

Trying to see if there was anyone in the alley, John could see a dumpster at the very far end that looked like it was shielding a dark shape from the worst of the bullets shower.

If there was someone trapped there, then he really couldn’t wait.

“Freeze” John shouted at the backs of the men, trying to sound authoritive when facing down potentially deadly and armed rough looking men.  “FBI, put your weapons on the ground and your hands on your heads!”

Only one of the men turned to address the order- and John froze.

His eyes were red, even from twenty feet away John could see them, and they looked wild. The man’s appearance was certainly adding to the crazed look. Dishevelled hair, dirt covering most of the exposed skin and his hands looks black with dirt and the unmentionable. He was horrifying.

John’s mouth opened and shut, his brain too caught up in the details that he could only quietly witness the man smile, a gaping horrid thing. It was like asking a wild wolf to smile and watching its jowls pull back and expose rows of sharp teeth.

The piece of his brain that played the part of prey cowered and thrashed in fear. It awoke a cold sweat that itched at his back and shoulder blades and screamed _run._

To add to the surreal situation, the man threw his head back and howled in glee, his face contorting in ecstasy and all at once, it was too real.

His hands felt like ice, numbly gripping around his gun that felt like a toy in his hands as the man lifted his own, aiming right at him. To his very core, John knew he was about to be shot.

“The hell you’d think you’re doing-” a surly voice said right behind him and it made his nerves contract, enough to squeeze the muscles of his fingers and fire off a shot that harmlessly went wide. It was not a good idea, as it brought the other two men’s attention towards him.

A large hand grabbed the back of his jacket and hauled him behind a car, a good move considering bullets started to ricochet off it the moment they were behind cover.

“Woah, who the hell-” John nearly hurt himself trying to pull out of the hold. A useless action as no matter what direction he moved, he just couldn’t get the man to let go.

“Easy, I’m trying to save your life!” the man shouted over the sound of gunfire, his hands patting John down faster than he could swipe them away. His new ally was wearing a large duster coat, the hood covering his face but not enough to conceal…red hands??

Abruptly, John pulled back, startled. Thankfully he hadn’t sat upright as the widows of the car shielding him got shot out. “What the hell!” he shouted in alarm, putting his arms up to cover himself from the worst of the glass.

“Damn kids” the man said and stood up, too quick for John to warn him to get down. Only he needed no warning as the man returned fire, a large oddly shaped gun in his hands that looked like it belonged in an old western film. But the noise of it was loud, booming with a sharp crack at the end as he took aim at the men.

Whatever happened, it was too fast for John to see as the two groups shot back and forth, but it went quiet in a sharp turn of events. Enough so that John could hear the three men hissing curses and take off running.

“Son of a-” the red handed man began to fume and vaulted over the bonnet of the car, giving chase.

Not only was it a bad idea, but backup was due to arrive any second.

“Hey, wait!” John shot up after him, but didn’t join the chase, “backups almost here”.

The man waved his gun in the air as he ran, getting further away by the second. “Stay put!” he shouted and disappeared down a side street, just in time too as tires screeched to a stop behind John.

“Myers!” a familiar man ran towards him, grabbing at his shoulder and giving him a shake, “what’s going on?”

It was Agent Cole and Agent Steward, both wearing thick bullet proof vests and holding a rifle each.

“The suspects just took off, they were-”

Steward tsk’d and angrily eyed the empty street. There was nothing to see but a busted up car with bullet holes in and John. To him, it was a wasted opportunity to get in some gun practise.

“Enough stew. Myers, is the scene secure?”

John blinked, trying to make his brain work through the imbalance of adrenaline overload. “Ye-No. The alley, they were shooting into the alley. The suspects are fleeing so we need to check to make sure they didn’t shoot anyone-”

He skidded on the shards of glass but didn’t go down as he rounded the car, heading into the alleyway that had been the men’s first target.

It was empty. No blood, no body, just shell casings off the bullets and a whole lot of holes.

The only way someone would have been able to get away was through a side door to the building- which was heavily padlocked- or down into a man hole. But the lid looked too thick and heavy to be lifted by any one man.

“I don’t see anything” Steward retorted sarcastically, “pretty much a dead end…like this call out”.

John ignored Cole giving his partner a talking to as eventually they all filed back out the mouth of the alley.

There was no way they’d be able to catch up-to the suspects.

The streets were quiet again, no noises in the distance of gun fire or mayhem, just John with bits of glass down his collar and two confused backup agents.

The worst part about it all was that he was going to have to write up the reports for this.


	2. Chapter 2

“Agent Myers! I’d like to see you in my office” the captain’s voice rang out over the heads of his colleagues and as one, everyone in the room turned towards John.

He tried not to duck his head and hide, but it was human nature to try and make yourself small when so many eyes were on you.

Pushing his folders and scraping together the list of suspects, he left it presentable but closed on his desk and stood up, still ignoring some of the more curious stares and walking to the office his captain now waiting in.

“Shut the door”

John held in a grimace and turned around to close the door, catching the sympathetic glances of some of his friends in the opening before it shut.

With a flick of a wrist, the captain indicated he should sit, and John followed the command, sliding into the hard plastic seat with a sense of unease.

“Your last report…” the captain began, “Explain it to me”. His voice was strong and inquiring as he held said report in his hands. The glare he was directing down at it wasn’t doing much to ease John’s nerves.

“Right-Yes sir-” John stuttered as heat rolled up his neck in embarrassment. “I was leaving my house to go for some food and before I got to my car, I heard gun shots-”.

The captain nodded along, hands now stapled together as he bore his eyes into John’s as if to catch a lie. For surely it was all a lie…there was no way any of it could be real.

“So I ran to where the commotion was happening- I’d forgot to take my gun off when I got home so I still had it- and came to the Jerico district. There was an unknown assailant hold up in the alley, being shot at by group of men. I shouted out a warning, stating that I was FBI-”

Here John licked his lips, nervous to continue.

The captain remained motionless, his eyes the only living thing about him as he seemed to stop breathing, listening to John recollection.

“One of the men- he turned around-” John blinked hard and twitched in his seat in unease. “It was dark I guess- but he was grinning and-”

The man and his friends had looked like monsters- their eyes-tinted that deep blood red. They’d laughed like hyena’s when he identified himself and it‘d made something inside him feel small and terrified.  John had never seen anything like them in his life and his knee’s had shook like the first time he’d cornered a dangerous suspect.

“They looked like part of a gang, each of them-” he swallowed “-wearing red contacts. They moved- strangely- and they howled like they were enjoying the fighting. I shouted out I was FBI and they all turned and opened fire on me. I managed to get behind a car-”

“I am aware of that part, as is the owner of the vehicle who is trying to sue the force for the damage. But it was quick thinking…and it saved your life. So what happened after that?”

Now was the part John…wasn’t so sure on.

He’d detailed his report specifically to what happened- and that meant mentioning the man. But what’d made his fingers still over his keyboard had been trying to describe the shade of red of the skin tone.

While being pushed to the side was kind of embarrassing for any agent, he didn’t want to be sent to a therapist for writing up that he’d seen a demon in human form.

John steered clear of it and left that part out.

“A man appeared” John continued, “he was grumbling about how stupid it was to- I’m sorry sir, there was too much adrenaline at the time that I didn’t catch all of it- but he started to fire back with what appeared to be-”.

John remembered the booming sound of the man’s gun; how it hadn’t sounded like any gun he’d ever fired. It’d been too big to be a standard sidearm, so summarised it must have been homemade.

 “Did this man identify himself as law enforcement?” the captain waved his hands forward, signalling that it should have been so or else why the hell hadn’t john arrested him.

“No sir”- John half whispered and had to clear his throat to continue, “The car was being shot up pretty bad and he…didn’t take cover. At all. It was like he didn’t care if he got shot”

“Hmm...Interesting” The captain nodded his grey head and stared intently down at his desk, contemplating. It made john’s gut clench anxiously. “So that’s all?”

“Yes sir. He chased them off just as backup arrived” John explained, “When I rounded the corner into 7th, they were all gone. I mean- there was some discarded weapons on the ground but that was it…they’d all vanished”.

“Did you do a search of the area?”

“Yes sir. Backup assisted me in making sure it was swept but there was nothing. We couldn’t find any of the suspects. When we checked the alley, it was riddled with bullets and casings but it was empty as well”.

They had nothing.

No leads or explanations for how an FBI agent had walked back into work the next day and given a statement that sounded like he’d become involved in a gun feud while going food shopping.

“Alright then” the captain’s lips thinned in a grim smile which he sadly directed at John and it could only mean bad things. It was warning enough for-

“You’re on paid leave until this can get sorted out”

“Sir!” John bounced in his seat, eager to stand up in outrage but not wanting to tower over the only boss he’s gotten along with. “I can work on the investigation; you know I’m good at this stuff-”

“Enough Agent Myers” The captain was sitting back in his seat, but the drawn arch of his eyebrows was a warning to be cautious.

John shut up.

“I and many of the other agents here understand that you are- if not the best- then a great investigator and I _do not want to risk that_. You’ve stumbled onto something that could be very dangerous in the long run. Now it could be a new gang moving into the area but-” the captain sighed hard, “I won’t risk one of my best agents just to speed this along. I’ll assign Cole and Steward to the investigation because they were partially involved but not directly targeted by the attackers”.

John nodded, sinking back into his seat in disappointment. He knew he wouldn’t get the case as it was a high threat level, but since he’d been involved, he’d hoped. If not for the chance, at least for answers as to what had happened.

“You _will_ take the two week leave, rest up; leave the investigation to the other two and when you come back-”.

The captain leant down, pulling open one of the lower draws in his desk. The only indication of it being opened was the sound of its scraping as he revealed a thick grey folder and waved it in the air.

“-You will look into this… for me personally”

John allowed one of his eyebrows to lift and waited for an explanation. But the captain just heaved another sigh and dropped the folder back into the draw, tucking it away from prying eyes.

“That will be all Agent Myers. See you in two weeks”

And with that, John left the office of his captain in a bit of a confused dazed. He didn’t see the pitying looks of the officers who were his friends, thinking the worst because of it.

By the time he’d gotten all the way home and tucked into bed, he remembered that he’d forgotten _again_ to pick up food for the house.

Well, he’d have a lot more time to himself from now on. Enough to think over that night and dream about glowing eyes and red hands reaching for him from the dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hopefully i'll be updating this every monday. Its still being written but i've been away for so long i just had to upload it. 
> 
> Leave the love cos i lose inspiration fast. my poor sis helps with the plot ideas.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really should add my sis as a co-writer since she brain stormed 80% of this story with me and helped work through plot holes.

 

John hadn’t had someone sleep on the other side of his bed for nearly 9 months. He was allergic to cats and his parents hadn’t allowed a dog for fear of it shedding and drool. The lack of another body or presence in his space was…lonely.

Noticeably so.

And a skill he never knew he needed. Now however, the hairs on his neck rose and he slipped out of a light doze with a twitch, to the sense of knowing that someone was standing beside his bed.

There was no creaking floorboard. No breeze to be blocked. No heavy breathing or change in temperature.

Just a sense of being watched. Intensely watched.

He could play it off as a nightmare, but he’d been too easily woken to forget if he’d had one. Perhaps it was just the house making noises because of its age, but John knew it was a person as certain as he did anything else. He could feel the pressure of someone taking up space where it shouldn’t.

So it left the other option that there was indeed someone standing beside him, watching him sleep.

He had a small glock stored in his bedside table, but he’d have to roll over and open the locked draw with his key to get it before the person could react.

He never bothered with knives near his bed because he didn’t fancy having to stab someone in his own home. There was one of his trophies from the academy that he might be able to use as a club, but it was a last option in his opinion.

Maybe if he was fast- if he let his heart pick up the trace of panic and dump adrenaline into his veins. Maybe he’d be fast enough?

“Abe!” someone harshly whispered and at once, John’s skin prickled ice cold with dread. There were two of them.

Something like heavy boots thumped in the next room over and his stomach rolled. Three of them!-two in his bedroom and the third doing god knows what, probably robbing him-

“But Liz-” a new voice said from behind him and it was _pleasant_. It didn’t sound like the voice of a potential murderer, but then, when did it ever.

_Ok he could do this, just roll over quick, grab his keys that he’d left on the table and jam it into the lock- he could do it!_

…and he did too.

He’d spun too fast to make out any visuals of his would be attackers, swiped his keys and had them in the lock within one breath, the next had his hand around the glock and levelling it at whoever had stumbled back away from him-

It was a monster, John summarised, his hand reflexively squeezing the gun should the _thing_ move towards him. It-him-whatever it was- had its arms crossed over its chest in a move most common with cowering, trying to shield itself with crossed arms.

He didn’t hear the heavy boots racing to his room, didn’t hear anything over the panicked heaving of his own lungs and pounding heart as everything wavered too fast.

This couldn’t be real!

And then it wasn’t….

He didn’t see anything change but it shifted, the air going still and crystal clear as the pure depths of a dead star seemed to take up his vision and he recognised he was falling forwards- towards the thing that looked so so frightened-to rebound his cheek off the floor and send brief bursts of white pain behind his closed eyelids.

They didn’t open again; instead he was drawn further away from the noises of arguing voices as the blackness swallow everything.

He hung there, suspeneded in the darkness and only witness to moments where sound came back to him, an acknowledgement of the drastic change in temperature and movement. But they faded in and out, too lengthy and drawn for him to grab hold of and fight for wakefulness.

He was lost in the depths so long; his mind was twisting on itself, convinced of sleep. It felt unnatural, too constraining and sentient to be his own. He fought and struggled, sometimes catching the drag of fingers on the back of his hand but inevitably failed as he was shushed back to sleep.

A long-long- time later, he was able to peel his eyes open. The surety of time passing was as solid and real as…the unknown bed he was currently lying in.

Glancing down slowly so as not to upset his wavering vision he could make out a red duvet and white bedsheets. The scrape of the fabric under his palms wasn’t expensive, merely cheap cotton that had been washed too many times to be rough. 

He felt a small burst of shock and embarrassment as he realised he was still in his bed shirt and pants, but it faded as his confusion grew.

_Where was he?_

Wherever it was, it wasn’t open to the elements as he wasn’t really cold. His skin was prickly with sensitivity and he was thirst but overall… _really_ confused.

Another very slowly roll of his eyes around the room showed he was currently in a small bedroom, the shape of it more rectangular than square and sparsely filled. Only a side cupboard took up some space next to the bed and a cross delicately hung above the door.

Was he in a church? He could imagine a priest having a room like this, barely filled and god watching over them as they slept.

Scoffing at himself for the semantics, he gently rolled and twisted so he was sitting up. It still made his head sway, threatening to not move too fast too soon.

It’s ok. He could wait.

John tried to take stock of his body and how it was feeling before he could worry about the room or his situation. Because if there _was_ a situation and his body wasn’t ready for it, he was screwed.

He was dizzy, he skin felt like one wrong rub could send it tingling painfully and he had an inclining that his pupils were enlarged by how bright the overhead light appeared. It was almost like the symptoms of a hangover, only he remembered that something had _happened_ -back at the house- and now he was here.

John scrunched his eyes shut, trying to chase any memory that could explain his fear that _something_ had happened at his home and he couldn’t remember what.

Had he been robbed?-Kidnapped? Grabbed by a gang? Was it-

A sharp whine of hinges sounded as the door was pushed open without warning, no knock asking for entry, just pushed open as if the person behind it felt they had a right to be there.

“Hi”

It was a young women. A cute, and judging from her smirk, mischievous woman in her 20’s. Short black hair framed the edges of her smirking cheeks and she bobbed on the balls of her feet, still stood within the doorway.  

While mulling over who might have grabbed him, it hadn’t ever crossed his mind that one of his kidnappers would be a woman. If anyone at the academy heard about this, he was so going to be getting scheduled an evaluation.

It didn’t matter who they were, everyone was dangerous with the right weapons and incentive.

Everyone

 “h-” John croaked-then coughed- grimaced and then offered a weak smile. His safest bet was to act friendly and none threatening until he had a chance.

“Hi” he finally managed and pressed the tips of his fingers to his throat in discomfort. It felt like he’d been drinking soil with how gravelly and dry his throat was.

“Its fine. I’m Liz by the way” she lifted her hand like she meant to shake his, realised what she was doing, and dropped it back to her side.

John only nodded once, returning a weak wave but otherwise didn’t move. He wasn’t ready if he had to defend himself. He felt like he’d had a bad head cold and was still getting over it, his muscles faintly aching as if overexerted.

_What had happened to him?_

“You might be feeling a little groggy at the moment, but don’t worry. It’ll pass” _Liz_ offered up, sounding reassuring. Like it was good news.

John hoped his pathetic but angry glare was enough to signal how very unimpressed he was with being _groggy_. He didn’t feel groggy, he felt like hell.

“w-What hap-nd” he rasped at her and got to watch her face fall, her eyes cloud over like she was locking the truth away.

“You fell”

John knew his face was portraying his disbelief perfectly, because again he got to watch her eyes drop to the floor and her teeth nibble on her lower lip. A signs of guilt.

“You fell…” she began more cautiously, “after I knocked you out”.

Something must have changed, a minute expression on his face that caused her to step forward, hand hovering nearer to him without actually touching as if afraid he’d splinter into sharp pieces.

“But you’re ok now,” she began, “don’t worry, the professor’s gonna have a look at you”.

She was trying to reassure him as much as herself that he was fine. Her hands hovered over him too much to take validation in what she was trying to say.

 “No!” John felt the word tear his throat apart but he had to get it out. No, nothing was fine, something had happened and he couldn’t remember.

She stepped back towards the door, looking far too guilty for how little John actually knew about her involvement. But she couldn’t go far as someone else was currently taking up the doorway…the whole doorway.

It was a giant red demon and it was smoking a cigar, letting out lazy puffs of smoke and grinning at them like the devil itself.

Liz didn’t really react to it, just rolled her eyes to the side, unconsciously acknowledging that a 6ft red demon was smoking under a cross of Jesus being crucified.

“Easy there boy scout, you ruin that voice of yours and you won’t be able to sell any cookies at the old folks homes”.

The voice that came out of the demon was deep and masculine, and the whole thing was bizarre enough that John let out an odd panicked sound.

“Red!” Liz whirled on the demon and it shrugged with a very human gesture.

“What, I didn’t do anything!”

While the two of them argued, John gripped at the edge of the bedding, trying not to heave up any of his insides. Black dots were dancing in front of his eyes and he knew by how grey everything was going that he was about to faint.

His neck muscles cease to work and with it, his head swayed without his consent. It was right then that John heard someone hiss.

He didn’t know who it was; just that he’d slipped off the bed, thankfully unconscious before he hit his head _again_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More next monday! Yay- (gives me time to write it /cry/)


	4. Chapter 4

“I swear it wasn’t my fault”

“It was”

“No!- he was already fainting before I got there-”

“He fainted because he’d just woken up-in a strange place - and saw a _big red demon_ in the room. The mind can only take so much red!” There was a smack of skin like someone had been slapped and a man hissed sharply.

 _‘What was going on?’_ John thought as feeling began to return to him. Firstly he realised his arm muscles ached, then his thighs and finally he was starting to become aware _that his head was killing him_.

“Ssshhh, quiet you two. He’s waking up” a softer voice said, much too close.

Knowing that there would be brightness when he opened his eyes, John reframed from peeling them open to get a beam of light that may just make his brain explode.

“Where am I?” He asked cautiously, twisting in his new seat and trying to feel it out. With the pads of his fingers, he could feel…leather? It was warming to his touch and his position reminded him too much of a dentist chair.

“Ah, you-hit your head again” the soft voice answered and a very weak pressure to the sensitive bruise on his forehead had John hissing and pulling away.

“Sorry…sorry. I was just cleaning it. You have a small cut but thankfully, it won’t scar”

“Where am I?” John asked with more force, protecting his head by putting both arms around it, huddling like a five year old.

“ah…ehhhhh” The soft voice wavered, dying off at the end. Clearly at a loss on how to explain it to him.

“In hell!” the gruffer voice retorted and then there was clearly a smack from how loud it sounded. “Geez!” the voice continued, “lighten up will ya!”

“Red!” a woman’s voice whispered and-

John had to see, screw a splitting headache, he couldn’t not-

He _was_ in hell-or he was dreaming. There was no word to describe the looks of the people-things!- standing around him, looking chastised and weary.

“Am-am-” John stuttered, hands falling to grip the sides of the medical chair he was in. “-am I dreaming?!”

“No no” the softer voice quickly answered and the thing that said it did nothing to ease John’s nerves. It looked withered and dry, skin too thin and grey that it could have been living underground for years. “It’s my fault really-”

John’s ears were buzzing, filling up with the drumming of his heart beat-

“-He’s gonna blow” the rough voiced demon said, smirking sadly at John and shrugged two big red shoulders at the situation.

John lay back and tried to breathe, tried to control the heaving of his heart as it attempted to escape his ribs like a spooked bird. _He couldn’t be here. He had to be back home, in his bed-this was a nightmare-_

A thin hand with slight webbing between the fingers gently tapped him on the shoulder and when John looked down; he could see the veins beneath the near translucent skin.

“It’s ok Agent Myers, just breathe”

“Abe, no offense, but waking up to see our ugly mugs isn’t good for the human’s mental health. If anything-”

John didn’t know how he managed to stand, he just realised he was when he stumbled away from the thing and knocked over a metal trolley. He quickly glanced down at the spilled items, sure that he was about to see all manner of torture devices but when he truly looked, when his brain paused, he only saw broken tea cups, cracked and splintered on the floor.

He stopped backing up- stopped heaving for air and panicking for his life and looked again.

Tea. There was no blood, no dirty bone saw or needles and rags. Just a –now broken- tea cup spilling its contents onto the stone floor.  

Peering cautiously back at the group, John noticed their lack of movement, and he breathed out.

They weren’t monsters out of a movie, hands curled like claws to come chasing after him. They were people…stood watching him like _he_ was the crazy one.

Granted, the situation he’d woken up in was not ideal, but-they almost looked human.

“Agent Myers, please” the thin creature implored with a slow open palm, silently asking him back to the medical chair as if it was scared for him falling.

To be honest, he _was_ feeling rather weak in the knees, but he wasn’t 100% sure the thing wouldn’t grab him if he came close enough, so he gripped at the back of a rough material chair and dragged it around to drop himself into. That way, he figured they wouldn’t crowd him, and he’d get to sit and catch his breath.

Someone laughed quietly, and then louder. It was the red demon, shaking its head and turning to the thinner creature. “Abe, you gotta understand with these people. The wrong thing can make em go pop. You gotta relax, take it nice and easy for the lost lambs”.

John scowled at the thing, annoyed that it was making fun of him. Or it seemed to be, for all the smiling it was doing, John didn’t really want to go near it. It was a hulk of a thing and looked like a man who’d been a body building in his past life.

“Red, go see what’s keeping the professor” The woman finally spoke, her face a scene of anger and her arms tightly crossed.

The demon took one look at her and chose not to argue, just turned around and left the room.

“The professor will be here soon, I’ll leave you two alone” She threw the thin creature a look, watching it worryingly flap its hand at her and then left through the same door as the demon.

That just left John in the room with the creature he’d woken up to hovering over him.

They two of them didn’t really know how to react to the other.

John eyed it, certain that one wrong move and he’d go tumbling back off the chair. The creature looked like it was moving unnaturally slow to prevent all this.

“I am terribly sorry for all this, it’s my fault. I just…wanted to thank you” the creature explained, fluttering its fingers near its jaw in a very _human_ nervous gesture.

“What?” John exclaimed too loudly, disbelief breaking his silence. And then gripped the chair in terror, hoping the thing didn’t take offense.

“I-” the thin took a step forward and John clenched his fingers as hard as he could into the wood of the chair. It barely creaked, but the creature backed off again in the next step.

“The alleyway- with the sab- the gunmen. It was me” the creature explained, waving up and down at itself. “They were shooting at me”

John’s eyes followed the creatures hand motion, looking at the thin legs, too pale skin and poor complexion and said “Oh” in a small voice.

Who would want to shoot at such a thing without provocation? It wasn’t too threatening to look at; it just looked like a really malnourished human, if you discounted the mutations of some lumps on its body.

John pushed away the soft and pitying thoughts.

Perhaps there had been more to the story. He didn’t have all the answers, didn’t know what had put all those people in that situation and how it had all come about. He’d just stumbled across the shooting, and now he was here.

Because this creature thought he’d been trying to save it.

John didn’t want to say that he’d thought it had been a _human_ being shot at, that his job was to protect humans…because really, his job was simply to protect. There was very little that wasn’t protected by the law and it was John’s job to see it done.

“I just-”- the creature continued, and it honest to god smiled, a warm and hopeful thing at John. “-I wanted to thank you. And then things got out of control and you hit your head and…I wanted to make sure that you were ok. So I…we…brought you here”.

John nodded, agreeing with that story, until he realised that no, he hadn’t just hit his head.

“No- I didn’t fall…something happened!” John demanded, sitting forward in the chair now that he was surer that the thing didn’t want to harm him.

“Ah” the thing nodded its head, “Yes well, you went for your gun and liz, she tried to stop you and pushed too hard and…you-”. The creature balled its right hand into a fist, and smacked it into its left open palm, representing what John’s head had then proceeded to do with the floor.

John scowled at the gesture and the creature dropped its hands with a swift apology.

“I’m Abraham Sapien” the creature named itself with a self-descriptive wave, hands becoming more expressive the longer it stayed. “But everyone calls me Abe”.

The room remained silent, John unsure of what he should do now. Apparent his life could indeed go down the rabbit hole.

So he’d saved a monster from being shot, had then had his house broken into and had been knocked out by Liz, who hadn’t laid a finger on him, -had been kidnapped and then taken back to their lair.

“Where am I?” John asked as seriously as he could, glancing around the room as casually as he could. It was a library; the bookshelves curved to follow the shape of the room and John couldn’t help but follow the unique design. It was beautiful…for a lair.

He needed to get out, or get to a phone and ring the outside world. The captain would throw him into witness protection if he found out about but maybe it was better than-

“The same city, just underground. It’s easier for me to move around this way, with the way I look and all things considered”.

With how weak and self-degrading the voice sounded, John turned back to look at the creature- at Abe. His head was tilted down, knowing the look John would be presenting clear as day on his face.

Fear. Disgust. Terror. Shock. Pity….

“Listen, I really need to leave. My captain and team will be worried about me” John explained, slowly standing up and gaining bravery when he wasn’t immediately tackled to the floor. He’d spied an arched doorway just to his left. Closer to him than ‘Abe’-  

“Not to worry John, once the professor has had a look at you, I’m sure all of this will be sorted out” Abe explained. “The professor is an excellent doctor, well known for his work in the 1915-” Abe must have quickly realised that John didn’t understand what he was talking about and switched tactics, “- and- it doesn’t matter- he’s a very skilled doctor. He’ll just check you over is what I was saying”.

“How- how do you know my name…and…1915…that’s world war 1 isn’t it? why-how?” John stuttered, edging faster over to the door.

“John!” Abe called, fingers dancing nervously on its leg as John dropped all his pretences and made for the door at a rapid walk. The doorway further in was inlaid with brick, creating a thick tunnel he had to pass through in order to get to the next room.

He rushed through it, hoping Abe wouldn’t come dashing after him. He’d already hit his head off the floor one too many times today.

When he exited the small tunnelway, he came out into another long library with an office attachment, and when he glanced around to try and spot another door to leave by, he noticed a smaller old man stood watching him.

“Good evening”

(author note- I know nothing of war’s- simply quick research on wiki)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank god i had this chapter pre-wrote cos now i've got time to write the next before monday.  
> thanks for all the love so far!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Raise your hand if you thought i'd forgotten....oh my hand is raised- he he....  
> Also raise the other hand if you thought i had a week to write this chapter and didnt- You my friend should play the lottery today.  
> BUT I did just write like 1k words in like 3 hours. Any errors- point em out and I will sort it.

“Good evening”

The old man greeted him in a pleasant manner, arched over his desk as if John had interrupted his perusal of a book.

John flicked his eyes to the tunnelway, sensing the time he had for freedom was short. “Hi, do you know a way out of here!”

The old man’s eyes rolled towards the tunnel- just as Abe came through it- and a large red hand thumped against John’s right shoulder, causing his back to bow forwards. But he remained standing, even as dread and surrender filled his chest.

He was trapped.

“Red!- its ok. He’s just scare-”

“Don’t worry Abe. I got him” the demon answered, and John was not at all comforted by the sad look that came over Abe’s face.

“So you are….” John questioned cautiously, too anxious to outright ask about the smartly dressed elderly man, standing as still as a statue and tilting his head at John like _he_ was the strange one.

“Embraced by the darkness and wearer of its cloak to your shield. And you must be one of Adams kine, from the dust you have risen and to it you shall return…and on that note, I am professor Broom”.

“Dust? ... Adam?” John slowly inquired, raising an eyebrow.

“Most indeed” the old man agreed and came around the desk, closer to John. _Red_ had yet to let go of his shoulder, and John could feel the grip only growing stronger.

“Enough of that Hellboy” the old man admonished and suddenly, John was let go, the red demon releasing him and stepping away. There was no bravado in him now, the demons face straight in compliance with the command.

It only terrified John worse. For what could command a demon so thoroughly that it obeyed.

“One of Adam, you are, but Adam you are not”

John turned back to watch the old man approach, fighting the mental push to relax as clearly this old man was not what he seemed. He kept company with demons and monsters…and yet he looked the most human out of present company.

“Sir, I’m going to advise you that I am a special investigator for the FBI-”

“You are one of the faithful and blind, who balances the scales and brings a loud and thunderous sword. You are special agent John Myers and…I am rambling”

The old man waved a hand absently about and turned back to his desk.

John gaped, “I…”

“Yes Agent Myers, you are quite safe here. Nothing will harm you but yourself”

With a drawn in breath to fill his emptying lungs, John nodded in understanding. He would not be harmed…unless he acted out and caused harm to come to him.

The old man had fixed his papers into uneven piles and had turned back around to John, smiling suddenly like a father presented with a grandchild.

“Now, let’s have a look at that egg!”

 _What-_ John threw a scared look towards Abe and then to the demon, but they didn’t look pleased or anxious, just stood aloof as if there was nothing to worry about as the old man swept forwards into John’s personal space-toe to toe- and grabbed his chin.

The fingers were ice cold and wrinkled, turning John’s head down to his level so he could inspect the ‘egg’ on the top of John’s forehead.

“Ah- quite a nasty egg, but with some tender love and care, it will not hatch”

John was seriously considering running from the room, red demon or not.

He was getting some seriously spooky vibes off the old man and it was freaking him out worse than the two monsters currently hovering at the edges of the room.

“I have- no idea what you’re talking about” John announced quietly, too afraid to break the tentative calm.

“Ah, do any of us” again the old man agreed, happily sitting back behind his desk and folding his hands together regally. “Well, some do, they do-I do when I can hear over the voices”

John cast his eyes back to the room’s occupants, looking for some saving grace. He was a madman!

“Have you not always felt it was so?” Broom continued, his white beard twitching with his words and mannerisms. He moved a lot compared to the other two.

“Er-No?” John answered.

“Oh come now Agent Myers, you _clearly_ have felt the presence of the demons, seen them spill blood on the streets and took it for a man”. Broom had swept back up to john-into his personal space- and fixed suddenly sharp yellowing eyes on him.

John couldn’t help but notice the red hue to them…how they looked similar to the howling madmen in the street-the ones that started this whole mess.

“Lister-” John near shouted, throat jumpy with his nerve. He felt brittle compared to this old man. “-I have no idea what you’re saying. But you’ve kidnapped me and it’s a federal offense. Now just take me back to the precinct and we’ll talk it over with the captain”.

When a few seconds had ticked by, John got the feeling he…was not leaving this place.

But-those eyes did something…wrong. They wobbled, recognition there and gone before Brooms mind’s eye cleared, the crazy pulling back for a quick peek.

“ _This_ may be why you were scared of the dark. One only wonders why your parents would name you John…one of the last to follow”

John can at least say he caught-well-everyone by surprise when he sprinted from the room, sliding down a side passage wedged behind an exposed bookcase, the latching closing from where the demon must have come from earlier.

It was enough of a gap, he’d not even thought twice, throwing himself bodily through the opening as it folded to close.

He didn’t stay to listen to the angry roars, just bolted like a scared rabbit deeper down the hole. It smelled wet and rat infested, the complete black he plunged through too complete he ran like he was groping for guidance.

He’d been so wildly flailing his arms out; he smacked his fingers _hard_ against a metal bar. Hissing harshly, he jolted back and then to the side, cautious of what he’d come across…but…the bar was sideways.

_A man hole!_

Forgetting his hurting fingers, John groped back at the bar, closing a sore fist around the metal again-and then the next. He dragged himself up as fast as his panicking heart was going, thighs burning very quickly in agony but easily forgotten in the hopes of escaping.

He almost felt like the higher he went, the brighter his hope shone, taking him away from the blackness to the sounds of noise up above.

He had to get out- get to the captain- get to the precinct. It was safe there. They had prison bars to hide him in and _guns_ and things that could stop these monsters!

“Why you little-!”

Far _far_ below him, the words echoed up and John’s heart smacked the base of his throat. He could feel it beating like a death drum in his ears, terror making everything else fall away-knowing he had to get away!-

He didn’t even feel any pain as his hand connected with the base of a man hole cover, and John would never be able to say _how_ he moved it. But it did move, up and to the side to allow the scream of tires-

Something black popped into view, inches from his nose, and bounded out of sight. That split second not enough to try and stop John, as he pushed his head up and out the hole- to see a car swerve off balance and near lift 2 of the wheels off the ground.  It swung around, revealing a white faced driver too shocked to know _what_ had happened.

There was an explosion of car horns then, not enough to snap John out of his stupor as he pulled himself up, legs coming up too quickly he almost collapsed to the concrete with how wobbly they felt.

He didn’t look back into the hole. Not wanting to see-

-People were yelling and screaming, confused and-

_There!_

A distinct yellowish car a few feet away from John -and he lurched at it, hands grabbing where he knew the handle would be and pulled as hard as he could until the door flew open.

A startled noise sounded from the front and John threw his arms forward, gasped “precinct!” at a blurred shape, the drivers expression too estranged for John to even decipher.

The cabby took one look at his face, paled – and gunned the engine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OOokkk i have NOTHING wrote for the next chapter so i intend to bull S it like a pro writer. ^^ 
> 
> I have an idea of what i want- but writing is HARDDD and CHRISTMAS IS COMING!!!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here’s a note I left myself after writing the last chapter and then only leaving myself 2 days to write the nxt one.
> 
> “HAHAHA should have wrote it sooner- oh shit”
> 
> Thanks past self. You knew me well….

Upon scaring the cabby driver half to death, he’d been driven to the police department. When he’d launched himself out the car without a care for the fare, the cabby had shouted after him ‘he needed to be locked up’, and peeled it out with a loud screech of tired that John would swear sounded like a scream.

Only a bored looking desk guard had stood watch, so late in the night it was practically morning, and had jolted like John had poked him with a taser when he’d slammed through the double doors.

Nothing in the training manual for this emergency.

“Myers calm down!”

The captain was stood in front of him, arms crossed over his chest and a severe scowl in place. They’d had to call him in when John had started ranting about being kidnapped and monsters being behind it.

It was more plausible that when someone had rang the captain, telling him John had finally snapped, he’d told them to hold him while he made his way there.

The captain looked tired and annoyed, but not directly at John. He wasn’t dressed up as he normally would be either, the long trench coat he wore hiding perhaps bed pants and a spare shirt. No suit in sight.

John folded his hands under his legs, changed his mind and grabbed the plastic cup and sipped the cool water inside. It was nearly gone, and rather than ask for more, John took much smaller sips.

He wasn’t thirsty; it was just something to do with his hands. He didn’t want to open his mouth anymore, throat sore from how he’d gone over and over about what had happened, watching as one officer had pulled a face and then stormed out with the shake of his head. It had deterred him from shouting after the man that it was real.

“Alright, we’re going to put you in holding downstairs-for safety precautions- nothing else” the captain elaborated quickly, watching Johns stunned and hurt expression fade to gratitude.

They were putting him somewhere safe. With thick metal bars and a blanket for the night. He’d be able to rest and they‘d keep him safe.

_He was safe._

John shoved his hands back under his legs, the water now gone in his cup and rested at the edge of the captain’s desk. He felt cold, the jacket draped over his shoulders feeling almost non-existent.

With a heavy sigh, the captain crouched down to John’s eye level, forcing him to look up.

 “Listen to me John…what you’re saying doesn’t make sense. No one is going to believe you” the captain admitted softly, volume just above a whisper.

Something cracked in John’s chest, the fear pouring in. He knew it sounded insane, but he’d seen it!

“But I do” was added and John stared hard into the captains now unflinching gaze. He looked like he was trying to sort out if John had _actually_ seen what he’d seen. And believed him.

“I am putting you in the cells downstairs…because I believe you. I believe you were kidnapped, that monsters snatched you and that you were taken to their… _lair_ ”. The man’s eyebrow twitched, irritated at having to use the word, but it was such an immense relief, John gasped, choking on it, unsure if he was about to start hyperventilating or crying that someone _believed him-_

Neither happened.

The captain stood back up at seeing John’s reaction and slapped a hand down hard on his shoulder. It was the same one the demon had gripped, and it hurt. But it snapped Johns mind back to the moment.

He was safe.

Everything became dark and hazy after that.

John was physically and emotionally tired. The two offers that helped him down to the cells were gentle with him, holding his arm as he went down the stairs and telling he was ok. He didn’t know what the captain had said, he was just so _grateful._

He’d been put into the furthest cell, down by the big generator that would ensure he was warm for the night and even gifted to hear the keys jingle as they locked him in.

He would be laughing at himself for it later, how no one should feel relief when the metal door slid shut for however long they would leave him here for.

That reminded him. How long would he be down here? A week? With officers unsure why they had to escort him everywhere until the captain could sort it.

And how would he do that?

“Oh god just shut up” John muttered to his brain, rolling over and pulling the cover to his shoulders.

He was finally warm and drifted off to sleep.

Hours later, it was the sound of a repetitive _thump_ that woke him. Someone was coming down the corridor.

-and John felt his heart start hammering in his chest. He ground the blanket in his hands as he rolled over, eyes on the door and pulling it up high to his chin as his mind concocted an image of the red demon, storming down the corridor to come and collect him.

Would he kill him? Had he gone too far by trying to run away and save himself?

The door…unlocked. With keys.

It was a good sign, one his brain recognised as a guard doing the rounds. Hourly check-ups were common procedure for a hysterical prisoner, so he relaxed his death grip on the blanket, only mildly scared he was still about to see one of the monsters.

It was one of the desk duty guards, Roy, john thought his name was. He was an old fello who was happy to register people at the entrance or point them in the right direction.  John hadn’t really said a sentence to him in the time he’d been with this precinct, a mere hello everyday enough to suffice their interactions as John went to the stairs, going up to his level on third.

The old man pulled the door open and out wide, allowing John to see the captain stood just off to the side, looking much more alert and prepared for the day.

“Good, you’re awake. Get up John, we need to move you” the captain stepped in, dropping a plastic bag on John’s legs that was filled with black clothes at first glance.

“Sir?” John croaked, eyes slowly adjusting to the fake light the cell offered. He picked up the bag and looked inside, pulling out a fleece jacket and thick cotton pants. It would be enough for now.

“We need to move you, I’ve set up a safe house with another unit. They’ll take care of you” the captain nodded his head down at John, as if it was that simple.

Feeling ungrateful that his first thought had been to beg to stay here, where he knew he was safe, John nodded back, and slipped the jacket on first.

It took a few seconds to throw the clothes over what he already had on, anticipating it would be needed as they both ushered him out into the cold corridor, his borrows shoes almost soundless on the floor as they took him down the corridor and then turned left instead of right.

John hadn’t ever been down here before. It was usually locked up, a back way out for when prisoners needed to be escorted out in secrecy. Those types of prisoners were usually held in an actual prison for that, the precincts only good enough for overnight stays.

It set John’s nerves to rattle, the corridors that they rushed him down narrow and leading like a maze to a large bolt door that had to be unlocked like a submarines air hatch. When it popped open with a puff, John was shocked to see a small carpark and the faint sound of traffic nearby.

It was too early for there to be too much cars on the road considering the barely there light of a dark blue sky, promising a quick change to pale blues and yellows.

He didn’t recognise the carpark, nor the tough looking men who stood 10 feet away, each holding a rifle.

John’s stomach dropped hard, terror trying to strangle him when one of the men broke away from the group, walking at a fast pace towards them.

John stepped back-onto the captain’s toes as he was coming through the door with him- and was pushed forward by a hand on his shoulder.

“It’s for us John, don’t worry” the captain gave his neck a squeeze, still pulling him along and met the man half way. Like a prisoner exchange, the captain trailed John forward while Roy shut and secured the door behind them from the inside.  Clearly he was not meant to come with them.

“Friar Thomas, it’s good that you’re on time” the Captain began, his face friendly but without a smile for the large man who was unafraid to be holding a rifle in front of the captain of the police force.

“Aye” the man grumbled and changed track, “- is this him!” He didn’t look at all pleased to see them.

“Yes” the captain kept a grip on John’s arm, pulling him to his side and wrapping a secure arm around him in a protective gesture. “I’ll be coming along to make sure things are dealt with properly”.

The man eyes John up and down, his expression assessing if John was a threat, before swinging around to the car. A clear signal to hurry up indicated by his fast trot back to the SUV.

 _How cliché,_ John thought, it was even black.

John was pushed into the back seat, the captain and another large bulky man as ‘Thomas’ and the third man climbed into the front and started the car.

Glancing around, John didn’t know if he was allowed to talk, so he tucked himself securely into the captain’s side, and tried not to be too afraid when the man in the back seat casually handled his rifle, allowing its tip to hover closer to Johns face.

A hand appeared in front of the guns nozzle when it almost touched Johns chin, and pushed it away.

“Grant, do keep control of your weapon” the captain pointed out in a bland tone, not reacting when the two men in the front glanced back in a hurry.

John’s friend to his right, ‘Grant’, kept his rifle out of his face from then on, laying it across his knees. It wasn’t much of a comfort, but it wasn’t likely to blow his head off with one wrong bump.

And bumpy it was.

As soon as they’d taken one of the large highways out towards the edge of the city, they’d gone onto a dirt road. Heading towards a wooded area, the car had picked up speed, bouncing the back seats occupants around until the captain had to grab onto a hand rail and push John back into his seat, helping secure him for all the good the seat belts were doing.  

A large 4 story house appeared around a bend of trees and John sucked in a breath. There were another 10 men stood out on the front deck and road, all holding rifles. They were all dressed in identical long brown trench coats that looked to barely hold their mass, ready to bust on the seams of the arms as a few levelled their weapons at the car.

John glanced back at the captain, not caring that he’d easily be able to see the terror flash across his face. _Where the hell were they going?!_

The captain’s lips thinned and he shook his head at John, willing him to settle down and trust him.

It was the only option available to him at the moment, so John slumped back into his seat and tried not to let his rattling nerves get the better of him.

_Where the hell were they?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (If anyone has played the game, I’d love for you to take a guess at who John might now be with)  
> Also if u see any errors- plz let me know and i'll fix them. I've got no beta reader and i'm writing this super fast to see my own errors.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to laugh at myself that i have 6-7 days usually to write the next chapter and i STILL leave it until the NIGHT before.

When the car stopped, Grant had thrown his door open with his booted foot and climbed out. John had stayed where he was, until Grant had tried to reach back in to pull him out and he’d honest to god cowered back, almost sitting in the captain lap until the man had snapped at Grant to leave him alone.

The hand reaching for John had retreated, Grant’s face appearing in the open doorway for a second, long enough for them to see him sneer. He quickly turned away and left them to it, the open door a sign they were waiting.

With more force than needed, the captain had shoved at John to get a move on, propelling him most of the way across the back seat so he could easily climb out. 

It was cold. The air brittle enough in the woods that it made Johns skin tingle with a prickly unease and fog in front of his face. And when John looked back, even the captain looked unhappy to be here, shuffling his hands in his pockets to keep whatever warmth his coat provided.

They weren’t left alone for long, two heavily toned men stepped ominously towards them, blocking them from going further.

“You know who I am!” the captain said loudly and the two men dropped their hands by their sides, a sign of respect clear as day- and thankfully eased their grip on the rifles.  “Take us inside and secure the roads. No one in or out for today”.

_Who the hell was the captain to these people!_

John actually stumbled when the captain pushed him forwards towards the house, but when he looked back; the captain took up his arm in a tight hold and looked sorry for the shove as he moved them towards the house.

Something deep, deep inside told John he did _not_ want to go in. The house was looming, the kind you saw in grainy shots of horror stories on TV, telling of that one house in the woods where all those teenagers died.

The door was opened for them and the captain guided him through the house. It looked well lived in, pictures of happy, smiling families on the walls. John didn’t get any time to take notice of who was in them, he was pushed on until they came to an office, a man in his late 60’s sat behind a desk, muttering down at a piece of paper.

The moment was so surreal and closely resembling Johns encounter with ‘Broom’ that he jolted to a stop, the captain ramming into the back of him and letting out a grunt in surprise.

“Cap _i_ tan?” the older man behind the desk inquired, his accent thick and Russian. “Are we due to meet?”

John didn’t like him, his voice too sweet and slick that it made him want to shiver in distain.

The captain preceded John into the room and stepped before the man’s desk, “No, comrade we are not due. But you are aware of-” he glanced back at John, ensuring he was still stood just inside the doorway for the other man to see. “-what we discussed earlier”.

“O Dah- yes yes. I was not expecting you so soon. Come and sit” the man pointed to the two chairs in front of his desk. The captain gracefully took his seat and John approached his own much slower, sliding into it and feeling his leg muscles tense.

“O- ‘ispugannyy krolik’ (scared rabbit) we do not bite. But-” the man tutted, wagging a finger back and forth and John caught the captain running his hands along the arms of his chair in agitation.

“- we have heard that you have met the ones that _do_ bite”

“I-” John glanced at the captain, who was intently _not_ looking at him and turned his head back to the man, “I’m a little unsure of w-what’s happening here” John explained, nervousness making his voice quiver at the end.

“You my poor friend, was kidnapped by those _demons!_ ” the man’s accent went so thick on the word it became almost unrecognisable. “Those _vampires”_

When John continued to look confused, the man shot an annoyed look towards the captain.

“You did not tell him?” he questioned.

“It didn’t come up. And besides, we needed to secure him first. He was in shock, practically gave one of my men a heart attack when he came in-”

The older man chuckled in glee and the captains eyebrows pulled down in anger.

“This is not funny Sparwood, he needs protecting, they will-”

The scoff that interrupts the captain this time is angry. John shot his gaze back to the man, his eyes having been bouncing between them at the verbal battle.

“Yes. They will come for him” the man agreed, grim and determined, “and we will be ready for them”.

The satisfaction in his voice did not settle the fear slowly swirling in Johns gut.  

Sparwood and the Captain switched to Russian, agreeing and nodding their heads at one another and leaving John even more confused.

His legs hurt, his arms felt weak and he felt like one wrong move was going to send him into an anxiety induced panic attack. He needed answers, he needed-

“Comrade, you are in luck. We have a room spare” Sparwood addressed John suddenly, eyes cutting a quick up and down of his frame before he pointed back towards the door they’d come through.

“Luke!”

The door quickly opened and one of the men on guard stuck his head in, his expression one of absolute readiness for a fight.

“Take our guest here down to the vault. Set him up there and wait for me” Sparwood was already turning back to the Captain and their own conversation as the guard stepped in and grabbed John up by his arm none too gently.

“Wait!” John argued, the tugging of his arm doing nothing to dislodge it from the others grip.

“John-” The captain interrupted before John could do something rather stupid-like use a self defence arm lock built for just this position. “It’s alright, just go with him. They’re going to protect you, you’re safe here”

What could John say to that…that he didn’t believe him? That he could see they didn’t care about him or his safety from how dead their eyes were when they looked at him. There was no sympathy, no comfort, only a sense of duty.

They were like brainwashed soldiers, uncaring of what they did so long as they carried out the order.

When he was pulled on again, John followed the man out the room, fighting down the panic to just run, knowing he wouldn’t make the lawn.

Too many people, too many rifles.

Too little answers.

The _vault_ was not what John was expecting. Well, with a name like vault, perhaps John really should have been expecting a metal room, sparingly decorated with a bed and blanket to distract from the thick iron walls.

John teetered at the door, unsure if he should follow Luke into the room, but the man impatiently waved him in when he saw John’s hesitation.

“You can wait here. Sit down if you like. Sparwood will be along shortly to discuss the arrangement with you”.  Luke gestured to the bed but John hovered along one of the walls, making out that he was inspecting the few paintings hung up as he stayed out of Luke’s reach.

“Thanks…I guess” John answered, not wanting to be too impolite. He didn’t know how long he’d be here. “Little cosy…for a prison”.

Luke huffed and crossed his arms, eyeing John’s slow track around the room. But he didn’t do a full circle, too intimidated by Luke who’d been ordered to be Johns guard.

“Prison…yes” Luke agreed and John stopped pretending to roam the edges of the room. “Prison in that it’s secure. You don’t get out, _they_ don’t get in”.

“Who are they? Sparwood-the Captain, they think I was-” He couldn’t even say it. Vampires? Demons? Whatever the hell those things were…nightmares.  “I guess I’m a bit confused- I hit my head…I think-” John rubbed at his forehead in agitation, _trying_ to remember-trying to _think_ how he’d come to be in this position.

But the memories were slipping in and out of his mind.

What had happened back at the house? He remembered-someone had been there, he’d been scared-the gun in his hand….

Nothing

He didn’t even know if he’d shot someone, that a body may be decomposing in his house-

“Tell it to Sparwood when he gets here. For now, just rest” Luke interrupted him unkindly, his face as impassive as his voice.

Dropping his hands down to his sides, John had to mentally remind himself. He was stood in a prison, that he was a prisoner, and the Captain had brought him _here_ for his protection against something that wasn’t human.

He flopped down on the side of the bed and waited, Luke hovering awkwardly near him, as if he’d run.

John wasn’t stupid. He couldn’t run from this, or any of it.

“Comrade!” Sparwood enthusiastically greeted him, coming into the room with a wide sweep of his hands. “I do apologies for the wait. Your Captain is a worry wart and thinks I will not do my utmost best to ensure your safety”.

John looked up at Sparwood, keeping his face as neutral on the topic matter as he could. Hopefully not showing the little faith he had in the man.

“Now, we need to talk about your little problem” Sparwood went back out the iron door and came back into sight quickly, pulling along two chairs, dropping them down to face each other as if for an interrogation.

John got the message and took the other seat.

“I…honestly don’t know what to tell you? God-” John rubbed his face tiredly and hunched in on himself. He was so tired, mentally and physically.

“Try from your earliest memory. Something will stick out to you, it’s odd and not right-” Sparwood continued, but his voice was distant sounding, like a tunnel, slowly slipping away as John remembered.

The shoot out. The red eyes of the gunmen and final…something large and red.

The memory was so fuzzy he had to squint, crunching his eyes together. Why couldn’t he remember?

“Are you having trouble remembering?” Sparwood guessed, his voice knowing.

John nodded, hands balled into fists as he rubbed his eyes. It was frustrating, like his memories were slowly sliding out of his grasp. To be honest, he was scared. He’d known more the previous few hours hadn’t he?

So why were the memories fading!

“These creatures have…extraordinary gifts. Some can shape shift, others are incredibly fast. Some can even alter your memories. Impressive…for corpses”

Sparwood slid forwards, the hard wood of the chair making a noise as he came closer.

“You were taken into one of their lairs…in the city no less. Now, we few here” he angled his hands to portray Luke and the rest of the house, “are the ones who hunt and kill them”.

John’s heart stuttered in his chest, afraid and knowing he was sitting in front of a man who’d pointed a gun at someone-several someone’s and pulled the trigger with deadly intent.

“We are part of the Society of Leopold, a quiet faction of the church that deals with hunting and eliminating these creatures. And this is where we can help you”.

John arched a slow brow at the man. Really, he didn’t look like the faith going type. Certainly none of his men did either, all holding some type of weapon that could kills easily.

“If there is a nest of them within the city, we can send our hunters to eradicate them. In doing this you can return to your life, and we can save many human lives in the process”.

When neither of them spoke, Luke shifted a step closer to John, placing his hand on the back of his chair, enough to press blunt fingers against his shoulder blades as John leaned back away from Sparwood. It caused him to startle forward, like a see-saw, away from the contact and looked between the two.

“I-“ John’s mouth flapped open and closed, trying to drag something out of his mind, “-I cant- I don’t remember. I cant- its slipping away!”

He hadn’t realise he’d raised his voice until _both_ Sparwood and Luke settled him back into his chair with a hand on the shoulder. Fear gave him a brief burst of adrenaline and he pushed up and the hands off.

“Agent Myers, rest assured. We will help you-” Sparwood had stood up now, Luke rushing to the corner of the room for something.

“By killing people!” John shouted, his lungs sickening not taking the full breath he tried to force them to.  He faltered, hands going to the wall to balance himself and- _stop talking-_

It was like a record in his mind, a voice over and over telling him to stop talking- _it wasn’t real-a dream-_

“Ah, I believe what you are suffering from is a form of power, partial to the tremere clan. Nasty little gift, but effective in some settings. Luke, Agent Myers needs some assistance if you’d be so kind”.

Luke edged towards John and the moment he was close enough, John’s fist collided with his throat. The move took everyone by surprise, even John, as Luke stumbled back and fell, hand going to his throat and something fragile smashed a few feet away.

A startled and short laugh broke free of Sparwood, who was eying Luke’s coughing form with appreciation. “Very good Agent Myers. No wonder your Captain is-”

John rushed him, his body going completely against him and responding to a threat he hadn’t been ready to fight. But Sparwood was ready for him, twisting his legs and hips and bodily swinging John to the side- crashing him against the iron wall.

The loud rebound of metal was deafening, stunning John as he flopped like a doll to the floor. He had to-

_-Stop thinking- stop talking- it wasn’t real-_

Something sharp jabbed him in the neck, the shape of Sparwoods neat pants right in front of his nose as he slid down and down into fog-

“For the love of everything holy, get up Luke and restrain him- we can’t-”

John was gone to the blackness….slipping away and hearing that soft, sweet voice whispering to him.

_-Forget- don’t tell- it’s a dream-nightmare- don’t_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> all errors are mine. Please let me know if u spot one and i'll correct it.   
> Same as usual- i will TRY to update every monday. Hopefully my week deadline will help me keep writing cos i WUV it. 
> 
> ALso i am super pumped that this fandom STILL has some life in it. U guys are amazing!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha Ha ha who got into bed and was ready to go to sleep and forgot to finish the last PARAGRAPH of the story...i mean i guess its not really much of surprise now....

John woke up screaming.

He knew by the rasping pain that slid up and down his throat, each inhale an ache after every breath. He didn’t know why, he wasn’t in the type of pain that warranted the hysterical screams you potentially heard in insane asylums.

He wasn’t bleeding or injured. But he felt an immense sense of dread so strong he just had to scream.

The noise was deafening in the tiny room, the sound amplified and rebounding back at him from the iron walls. The door looked to be lock, leaving him to hear his endless screams vibrating through the bedframe and along the walls.

He was trapped, restrained to his small bed with soft nylon on his wrists to not cut or chafe or even- _break_ \- as he tugged restlessly against it.

He only knew he was awake affectively by the pain in his throat. It terrified him to think he’d just been drifting in and out of consciousness as his screams built up enough to rouse him.

Now, the screams had pattered off to mere whimpers, his throat swollen and sore and _god it ached_ and he needed to scream. Felt the pressure under his chin and forcing the muscles to tense with the need.

“Agent?”

He croaked, not trusting that his mind was right, that it wasn’t a voice from the shadows come to torment him.

“I think he’s broken sir” a gruff voice answered the first and John shut his eyes, feeling tears of frustration start to form at the inner corners.

“Nonsense, you and I both know it was that trick of theirs-” someone growled in anger and the other scoffed, “how they manage to dominate the minds of man, we may never know. It is only through gods will and guidance that we cleanse this world of such demons”.

“Agreed”

John sucked in a hard breath, felt his throat expand that inch too far, and felt every bone in his body turn to jelly as he passed out.

He dreamed of angels…their ethereal forms too bright to look at, their shapes undefined as they reached towards him and he cowered back, moaning for the pain and brightness to stop. _It hurt._ It felt like his very skin was peeling back, exposing his bones for him to be judged-

They hushed him, told him he was only a man. That he had to follow gods plan, that he should be brave and believe-

“Ah-he’s awake”

Blinking, John could only recognise the slightly off coloured ceiling- and someone leaning over him. His arm twitched, demanding he react to a threat too close he just _had_ to make it move- get away-

“Agent Myers! It is a sign from god that you are awake at this perfect moment’s time” Sparwood beamed down at him, like it was the highlight of his day that he was now arched over Johns sleeping form.

“Wh-” fire exploded over his throat and when he coughed, he wished he’d rather have downed a shot of whiskey with a match rather than feel this grating burn that remained no matter how he arched his neck.

“Yes yes” Sparwood waved his hand and Luke passed him a small glass of water. Before he could even get it within range of John’s mouth, John had grabbed onto it with both hands, shockingly free but single minded in sipping the warmed water and trapping Luke’s hand within the mess of motion.

Luke glanced at Sparwood and then-gently- extracted his hand, looking uncomfortable to have been in contact with him.

John didn’t care.

His throat was still _really_ sore, but it was calming some.

“Now, we really must continue on. Time is important now that you’re awake” Sparwood continued, shifting enough in his chair to tell John of his impatience.

“W-why” John whispered, trying for quiet words and just barely managing.

“The demons know that we have you. We have already killed two on this beautiful day but they are still looking. Now, we need to know where their nest is, so that we can kill these creatures and then move on to exterminating the rest”.

Sparwood slammed his fist down fast, hitting the edge of John’s bed’s frame that it shocked through the length.  He didn’t seem to have hurt his hand. He was sitting at the edge of his seat, as close as he could get.

“Where were you taken?” Sparwood demanded, words no longer friendly sounding.

“Ah-” John looked at Luke, who was shifting nervously-and back to Sparwood, “-i-in-” it hurt to speak but he pushed it out with a gasped- “My-house”.

“How did they get in?” Sparwood barked, waving his hand quickly like he was about to jump up out of his seat and fly from the room. His face hardened as John shook his head in lack of answer, not appearing to like that John didn’t know.

“Then how did you escape!”

John rasped a painful sound, his throat closing up and he had to double over, painful or not- as his neck burned and his head throbbed. There was a taste in his mouth, a scent of blood and infection.

He needed to stop talking-

“How did you escape Agent Myers- these creatures do not let their food just walk off-”

John’s eyebrows pulled down in confusion, the pain constant in his throat now and yet he had to make his brain work. Sparwood was wrong; he hadn’t been food for those things…

Like a waterfall, all the memories slid to the front of his mind. Of the house, of the break in and the gun and _falling-_ Waking up with- _ABE_ -

The name was like a slap to the face, his heart lurching in guilt as it threw the image of Abe stood next to his bed, arms crossed and cowering as John aimed his gun at him. He’d been so scared and John had-

“Myers!”  Luke had a solid grip of his shoulders, holding him down as John tried to push back against the hold. He couldn’t breathe. 

“Just breathe dammit!” Luke snarled, his teeth flashing into view and John watched them, waiting for the length to change…but they were normal.

He blinked past the strange thought, coming back to himself. He’d begun shaking, his hands quivering as Luke patted him down.

John knew what this was. He’d seen too many victims of shock and trauma slip and slide out of reality. His brain was trying to protect him by just removing his memory of the event-

He needed a doctor, not to be held in an iron room and questioned over and over about a recent trauma and _who the fuck_ _WERE these people!_

To hold him in a makeshift cell! To treat him like a captive!

His bed rocked and automatically his hands shot down, gripping the frame to stop from sliding off. There was the faint sound of something rumbling-

-It rocked again, harder this time-the rumbling noise a hell of a lot louder now. It almost sounded like an explosion.

“What the fuck is that!” Sparwood spat, arched up out of his seat and heading for the door as Luke rushed after him, lifting a side arm up to head height.

John wasn’t expecting to be let out, but he just couldn’t squish the hope, feeling it get crushed as the door slammed shut with resounding finality.

With no choice but to sit and wait, John rested his head back against the bedframe. Dust particles often floated down from the ceiling, the rumbling returning every few minutes and it was definitely getting closer.

If he was going to die, he’d never have imagined it would be like this, in an iron room, hiding from monsters and not knowing where the hell he was.

“Not so fun being in there boss” A smooth male voice informed John, sounding far enough away that it could have been just beyond the door. “Why not step on over here and we’ll have ourselves a party like it’s the last night of your life!”

While the voice sounded absolutely jubilant, it sent cold shivers up and down John’s spine. It didn’t sound inviting at all, the lilt far too sinister sounding that John inched further back against the bed.

“Noooo boss?” The voice questioned, sounding confused as to why John didn’t think this was a great idea too. “Well-AH!”

Something banged against the door and a weak breeze brought the smell of putrid burning to his nostrils, enough so he had to pinch the ends to try and block it out. It made his stomach roll.

The thing near the door to his cell howled in agony, hissing violently and slamming two more times against the metal before finally learning its lesson.

For now, he was safe.

It raged at him, voice inhuman as it snarled and spat.

John didn’t know if it was better or not that he couldn’t see it. But being unable to put a face to the voice only allowed his mind to conjure up worse things. While his brain took a moment to cycle through the potential nightmare material it could be, the click of something familiar sounding had him pause, holding his breath.

Clink-clink-quickly followed by a loud BANG-

The rapid sound of metal and bullets colliding resounded throughout his cell and John threw up his arms to shield himself, the action useless as none penetrated the walls.

But the monster was silent now. And John suspected that one of the many guards around the place had finally found it and put it to its death in a hail of bullets.

At the very least, John had found out that bullets were as affective against these monsters as they were against humans….maybe.

Something metal clashed against the door, a double tap as a guard came to see if he was still sane and responsive. “Enjoying the peace and quiet in there!” the voice sounded Irish, amused and full of energy.

He was enjoying this, whatever the hell it was. Maybe it was a game to them, kill the most monsters and win a prize.

John stayed quiet.

“Fine, have it your way” the guard huffed, clearly not impressed with John and left him alone- or, he intended to.  John heard his grunt-cut off- like he’d tripped and fallen, before it was silent again.

_What the hell?_

Whether it was how brittle his nerves were, or how cautious he’d come to be as an agent for the FBI, but he slowly uncurled as _quietly_ as he could, and crept out of sight of the doors peep hole.  Walking across the icy floor in bare feet only amplified his shivering and by the time he’d come to crouch near the small cabinet, his teeth were clenched to stop them rattling together.

He felt cold all the way to his gut as the door was unlocked with a swiftness that no one else had shown previously. It whined on its hinges as if knowing whoever had opened it should not be able to do so.

 _But monsters couldn’t open the door!_ John’s conscious thought blared at the front of his mind, but it didn’t stop from something - a man perhaps? -stepping into his cell. Its head pointed directly to the bed and tilting when it found it empty.

After a second’s consideration, its eyes swept the room, landing straight on John.

Being cold had nothing to do with how frozen he was, feeling the ache in his shoulder blades grow from how hard he was pressing back into the wall, disbelief and fear forcing him to remain still.

Because instead of red eyes…they were golden. The hue tinted in dustings of oranges and yellows that pulled him in and told him to _stay_.

They must have only been staring at one another for seconds, but John could have counted those seconds in the space of hours. His muscles tensed, but did nothing. His mouth opened an inch further but no words came out.

This creature was enchanting, deadly and-

-It opened its mouth, long fangs looking dangerous as it looked down on him and sneered, “Human”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ANYWAYS i got absolutely NOTHING ready for the next chapter- so i'd best start writing......  
> (cue laughter)


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You bet ur ass i fell behind in this fic, but i refuse to let it fall into abandonment

He didn’t so much as see the man- _thing?-_ reach for him, but he felt the impression of fingers around his forearm, felt himself being drawn up to stand and start to move. They both stepped through the door and acutely John could feel the sickly wetness of something ice cold and sticky on the floor. He didn’t miss the slumped shape of a creature just beyond the cell, nor the 3 other shapes of ordinary men, still and lifeless just down the corridor.

It so completely still in death that John’s stilted stop had him being roughly tugged along.

The being, John knew it wasn’t human; it was too…too much. Too beautiful to be real, its pale skin smooth and unmarred saves for the marking across the bridge of its nose. And its eyes, god, John felt like his very soul wanted to leap out of his body when he looked into its eyes.

They were inhuman. So strange his mind refused to place any semblance of human description to them and it was so confusing he forced himself to look away.

The eyes told him enough about what this creature through of him, and the unkind handling only showed John that it wouldn’t hesitate to hurt him if he stepped out of line. If only he knew where the line was, then he could-

“Move!” a male voice demanded, smooth and masculine sounding as the creature pushed and shoved him ahead to go first down the corridor. He had to step around the fallen guards, past their pained dead expressions and pale bloodless skin.

Swiftly John lifted his head, guilty for being unable to look at them any longer.  He didn’t know if it would help if he lived long enough to have nightmares again, but god, the smell was enough he’d never forget it.

“Where-” John started to ask, and received such a hard shove to move him along, it caused him to fall, slipping on the still wet blood on the floor and feeling it coat the underside of his foot. His nerves were brittle already, but now he just wanted to curl up into a ball and pray that this all just _stopped. He couldn’t take much more-_ , knowing he’d just stood in someone’s _blood_ and that it was probably one of the men in the corridor.

Probably someone who’d been breathing an hour ago. Someone he’d walked past and-

A hand wrapped the material of his shirt into a balled fist and John was dragged along the cement floor, the creature having no patients for him. John flailed his arms, trying to get itto just stop and give him a moment, but it was like smacking a pile of stones, his knuckles stinging and his fingers buzzing with pain.

“If I have to drag you much more, I will order you to be tied to the back of the car and dragged away. Do you understand?”

John stopped struggling abruptly. The venom in the creature’s voice was solely directed at him, so he gently lowered his arms, signalling he was complying and was quickly released, the hand dropping the hold on his shirt so hard it seemed it didn’t want to be touching him at all.

John was fine with that.

“Where do you want me to go?” Maybe if he didn’t phrase it like a victims demand, made it sound compliant, this creature would not be so hostile towards him.

Maybe he wouldn’t join everyone else in the house that was no doubt dead.

It bared its teeth at him, their colour so perfectly unblemished it was chilling. Finally it replied, “Outside”.

And so John cautiously started to make his way out, often using the wall for his guide., not looking down at the bodies spilled in every direction, humans and demons alike, unwilling to witness the slaughter that had took place because of him.

As they reached the front door, John could see it had been blown clear off the hinges, the edges of the wood blackened and smoked. But he could see through the gaping hole 3 cars parked up outside, a sturdy military designed and looked expensive.

John had to force himself not to chuckle when his brain tried to imagine how these things even got the money to finance the heavy firepower. Then it wasn’t so funny when his mind whispered that they’d merely killed to claim them.

Stepping outside was surreal; pulling him from a bloody house to a calm and quiet night, the only indication of any wrong doing was the smell of smoke in the air.

The grass was only slightly damp when he stepped down into it, and he discreetly scrubbed the base of his feet into the ground, wanting to get the feeling- and memory- of blood off.

A hand touched his lower back and his spine straightened as if to get away. John hadn’t forgotten about the creature, but he’d hoped it would keep its distance.

 “Get in”

Like a magic trick, when they approached the second car in line, the backseat door popped open and when John reached to climb in, found the interior empty of anyone inside. 

It spoke volumes about how far removed he was from normal, so he slid in quietly, choosing to sit as far away from the creature as he was allowed, almost pressed up to the opposite door to keep away.

The creature climbed in after him without a fuss, didn’t react to his distance or snarl in anger, just shut the door and sat back and instantly, the car and the ones following started up and began to drive.

John wanted to ask so many things, where he was going, _why_ he was being taken, but it seemed he already knew that the answers were simple. He’d seen too much…

His fingers clenched the material of his pants as he grew nervous, unsure if he should put his seatbelt on when the car began to pick up speed. The faster the trees outside the tinted window flew by, the harder his heart pounded.

Eventually they’d be going too fast, it wouldn’t matter if he was wearing a seat belt, any collision would total the car and everyone in it.

Cautiously, John glanced across at the creature, male and human in shape only, as he reached back for the seatbelt and pulled it across him to click it into the lock.

It only smirked, head turned forward and continuing to ignore him.

The car’s rumbling was soothing, rocking about on the uneven floor and John tried not to relax too much. He remembered those men-the society of something- they’d jabbed him with a needle and John remembered sinking into unconsciousness.

It hadn’t been enough for his body, his brain now slugging along as tiredness seeped into his very core. His legs were tensed for flight and yet his bones ached and his muscles burned. He needed to sleep and the warmth of the car compared to the coldness of his prison cell was enough for his body to start to be lulled to rest.

John refused to let his eyes stay shut, no matter how much they blinked and drooped on him. He wouldn’t fall asleep, not while he was sitting in the car with a monster that was probably going to kill him.

Stiffly, John slid up in his seat, unaware he’d started to slump.

“Sleep” the voice commanded loudly and all at once, John recognised that the creature had been speaking to him, uttering the word over and over quietly.

“No” John mumbled, lips barely moving as he fought back the weight of his eyelids, struggling to move as his arms and legs turned to deadweight’s. “I haven’t done anything- just…“. He blinked and he knew some seconds had trickled away within the space of his breaths.

“-take me home. I-”, John voice began to slur and he felt his body flop, unable to control his muscles as the car made a turn.

He closed his eyes and imagined the coolness of the leather seats under his cheek was the cold side of his pillow back home, where it was safe and no one could creep up in the middle of the night and throw back the veil on everything strange.

He wanted to moan and complain like a child, rebel and demand that it was unfair, that he was tired and he just wanted to go home and it all be over.

“I am taking you home. My home, where we can finally sort this mess out” the creatures voice answered him, sounding bored with him already.

The more John tried to complain, the harder it was to push the words out, until they finally became sleepy mumbles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just need to say, to everyone who's been coming, reading and even leaving some kudos and comments, its really helped push this fic along so thank u all. I will struggle to hold this to a time frame but i should be getting some chapters out on the regular.


	10. Chapter 10

“You cant!”

John jolted from his prone position, arching his sore spine until he was at least learning on the support of his arms.

He was on the floor, a very nice carpeted floor from the feel of the cotton under his hands. It was soft enough, but the design was too intricate that he had to look away from it or else go cross eyed.

He’d apparently startled the two people arguing not three feet from him, their posture turned sharply towards him in contemplation. They were dressed like royalty, golden yellows, blues and greens woven through the beautiful cloth.

But where-

John blinked away the fog over his vision, unusually uncoordinated as he tried to get control of his limbs. He felt like he’d been drugged again, but he didn’t remember…much. What had he been doing?

He rolled his tongue in his mouth, but there was no fuzziness that came from excessive drinking….and his stomach felt weak, the base tender and loose as if one wrong move would send him doubling over.

Very, _very_ delicately, John pulled his feet under him and pushed himself up, holding onto an oak side-table to keep his footing. It also helped in moving him a step away from the two people still watching him.

It was a man and woman, long pale hair so identical he had to squint to tell them apart. The woman had mesmerising, soft featured and yet clashing with her strong stance and gaze. But she looked worried, her discoloured eyes jumping towards the man to him.

The man who was sneering at John and-

“You!” John ground out, fear making his voice gravely. He didn’t want to seem weak, but this man, this _thing_ had kidnapped him. Had killed people, had dragged John out of his safe cell and taken him to a car that opened the doors itself!

“Sit down” the man commanded, lips arched as if he wanted to continue on with an insult but held back from the sharpness of the woman’s gaze.

John slumped back against the table, using the lip to perch on and give his legs some rest. He felt tired and he knew it was just his body trying to recuperate from all the stress he’d been under. _Never mind that_ , John thought, he needed to get away!

To the precinct and the captain-

His brain stuttered over that. The captain! The one who’d taken him straight to the men and that prison cell. With the excuse of it being for Johns own safety!

He ignored the small ache in his chest, a phantom pain of betrayal. He didn’t know if he could trust him now. For the length of his career, John had never once questioned if he could trust the captain. The answer had always been yes. But now, with the city apparently overrun with monsters and the captain involved in some… _cult?_ John just couldn’t risk it.

Maybe he could run, leave the city, this life! Get to somewhere and _hope_ that these things forgot about him.

“Ar-are you quite alright?” a soft voice asked just to his left and his heart jumped so hard it felt like it might disconnect itself.

It was the woman, and she was even more kind looking up-close than he’d imagined. Oh she was beautiful, in an odd way. Her features were soft but he only had to squint to see the hardness of her eyes, the perfect bow of her lips hiding just the hint of elongated fangs.

John could see them; gently pressing against the lips as if only an inch more of pressure would puncture the delicate skin.

He swayed, unsure if he would topple forward or back, and her hand came up fast to stead him. Too fast.

John bolted back, fear giving him too much strength for the motion and he ended up going over onto his ass and kicked himself back madly.

She was like him, the monster- no she was a monster! They all were!

“See sister, he cowers before us…as he should. As they all should” the man came into his line of sight, standing beside the woman once more as she watched John warily.

She hadn’t been expecting him to act like that.

John felt his mind flood with all the possibilities and every seminar of hostage situations he’d had to take.

Step 1, If captured, be docile and await your moment. No need to be taken out from the get go.

Step 2, calm the rest of the hostages down, no need someone getting spooked and getting everyone killed.  

Step 3, open up a line of communication, whether it be with hostages or captor’s

Step 4, humanise yourself and the hostages, put names to the faces so it’s harder for them to kill you.

“I-I I’m John- Agent John Myers” John had to wet his lips as they both looked to him, perhaps unexpecting that his courage would return so swiftly.  “I’ve been kidnapped against my will. Listen, this is a big misunderstanding, I’m an FBI agent, people will be looking for me!”

John fought with the waver in his voice, eyes mainly fixed on the woman as her face grew more tense with each word. The man’s face did not shift from sheer boredom so John took the safe bet that she was his only chance.

“You don’t-” the woman turned and looked quizzically into the man’s face, trying to drag an answer out of his expressions. When she got what she wanted, she stepped forwards, closer to John but speaking volumes when it blocked any potential path to him. 

Again she turned back to John and smiled. It was a sad smile, and with it, John felt the base of his stomach tense, fear building with each heartbeat.

“You don’t know why you’re here?”

John shook his head, too scared to move anything else in case it would only worsen his position in this mess.

She sighed, heavily, the motion lifting her shoulders and chest. “You…you brave, silly human. You are so full of life.  You have barely lived…and yet you have almost doomed yourself”.

“Nuala!” the man sharply answered some unspoken signal from her.

“Hush brother. Now John, I will explain what is to happen and you will do everything I say. Do you understand?” she insisted kindly.

Looking at her and her delicate perch as she lowered herself down to his eye level, John felt more terrified of her than he had with anything in his life. And that included the thunderstorm of her _brother_ , glowering with fury behind her.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who forgot to upload the chapter last week??? pfff not me. Nope. *Yes me* Sorry for the wait....

“A-a what?!” John croaked, fear making him withhold how loud he wanted to bellow his question. No, his demand!- he wanted to know why the hell he was-

“A trial” Nuala replied as if she was educating a small child on the pronunciation of the word. She’s scooped him up after his little tumble and sat him down at her table as if they were to sit down for tea and biscuits.

“B-but why! I haven’t done anything!” John waved his arms in distress, angling himself so that he was always behind her and away from Nuada, ‘the brother’, who had huffed at him in annoyance. As if John had caused all this mess.

Well, apparently, he had.

“When you were approached by Abe, this creature you _remembered_ , you were exposed to us. And our rules are very straight forward. Humans must not to know of us…unless….” She let the answer patter off, drawing out the suspense. As if she didn’t want to answer _that_ question.

Nuada didn’t seem to have her patience with him.

“Unless one of us speaks for you, which, might I add, is highly unlikely”

John looked away from him, from the odd allure that exuded from the man. It felt like a small tug on the back of his mind, enough to keep drawing his eyes back to him and making his throat close up in fear. His mind was being played with, told to look at the fascinating creature and then to in-turn become terrified by it.

“Yes, that’s correct” Nuala agreed with her brother, hands pressing together in a very human gesture. “However, it is a cause for concern that you also witnessed some sabbat members, out causing trouble and mayhem”.

“As usual” Nuada added, not sounding pleased to be talking about it.

“Who?” John asked, sounding more confused by the minute. But there was so much to take in, so much to learn.

“The Sabbat are a branch of _vampire_ if you will, but they are not like my brother and I. They are another line of the blood, bitten and made as if mass produced from a factory. Their only intention is to cause destruction and death”.

“Should we really need to explain this to _it_. Soon, it will be nothing but a bloodless heap” Nuada was leaning towards Nuala, choosing to completely exclude John from the conversation, like he needed only her word and John would be deader than dead.

Nuala’s face twitched, her distress barely contained as she recoiled from her brother. And that move, that sudden distance between them seemed to cause a crease of emotional pain to grace Nuada face.

 _Good,_ John thought, taking some comfort from seeing him in pain. He was a heartless bastard and he hadn’t shown any sign of sympathy to John in all the time they’d had to spend together.

Perhaps he only had Nuala in his heart. And that was Johns opening….

“Please” John edged closer to Nuala, bringing her focus back to him. “What can I do, I didn’t want any of this to happen, I was just doing my job”.

He must have sounded earnest, as Nuala lovingly closed her hands around his over the table, her skin icy compared to the slight chill of his own. He only allowed his fingers to twitch once as he forced them to remain in her hold.

Each time she touched him, he just wasn’t prepared to be faced by the differences between them. Apparently, vampires were as different to humans as they were to each other.

“You saved Abe’s life!” she exclaimed happily, pearls of red forming at the edges of her eyes- blood tears john realised- and she smiled. “You have done something truly amazing and I have much to thank you for” Nuala continued to explain and with it, Nuada flew up out of his seat, storming away from them.

Nuala sniffled back her tears and ignored Nuada.

“Abe is a…a dear friend of mine. We are close. To hear that he was in a shooting-” she stopped, her voice breaking at the end and she shut her eyes, perhaps trying to force away the thought of what that future would have been like.

“But you saved him. And I know Abe; he would have wanted to thank you. But things have now played out as they have, and you are in a very serious situation. You will either be killed for your knowledge of us, or recruited”.

Johns mouth opened, wanting to demand what the _hell that meant-_  but he just couldn’t. There was a ball of fear choking him, his imagination doing far worse in those seconds of what he could be facing.

“But you’re in luck. Due to my …friendship with Abe, I will be able to speak on your behalf at the trial” Nuala explained, her expression solidifying with determination.

John wished he could have more faith in her, but he’d fallen out of his small boat and into an ocean of unknown and wild creatures that would sooner eat him than deal with his troubles.

“Or he will be killed for his knowledge _and_ the trouble he’s caused” Nuada gestured angrily at John, as if it would be example enough to sway Nuala to his side of the argument.

Apparently, they’d been arguing earlier about whether or not it would be worth it to try and save Johns life.

John was in favour of Nuala’s argument….and staying far out of reach of Nuada, who looked like he wanted to wrap his pale hands around John’s throat and be done with it.

She only had to flick her eyes towards Nuada for him to turn around and return to his pacing.

John was beginning to like her…and he really needed to get out of here.

“You’ll be taken to a small court, where I will stand to defend you. Please John, understand that this is very serious. Nuada was only able to retrieve you on the basis of information gathering. Your death would have been considered collateral damage in the grand scheme of things”.

“Wait” John began, lowering his hands down as if to ease into the conversation. “Are you saying that it was- that he….that all those people died because you needed me? It was a rescue mission?”

John regretted raising his voice at her, but it just couldn’t be the answer. He couldn’t be the reason why he had to walk down a corridor of dead men. Because they wanted to know the information he had?

He’d been running from their kind _and_ humans like a mouse in a cat house, racing to find a safe place.

“No John. It’s far worse…and I’m sorry for that” Nuala answered him, looking grim. “After the shooting, we were put onto high alert, awaiting another attack from the sabbat. But then we were informed that there had been a witness, a human-” she inclined her head to him, “and that they were taken into questioning by the Society of Leopold, and we had to act. We…had to know what you’d seen and if you could be….”

“Silenced” Nuada finished for her, sounding smug. This time, Nuala refused to look at him, and John felt sick all over again.

After a few awkward seconds of Nuala dodging his gaze, John nodded, the weight of the situation now pressing him down into the seat like a living thing.  

“O-okay” John nodded, forcing himself to breath, “the trial, when is it?”

Nuala looked at him then, her eyes wide and rounded and John knew without having to hear Nuada‘s answer.

“Tonight. Just before dawn”

Something bubbled in John’s chest and he coughed, or tried to. It came out wrong, all jumbled and…giggly. No, he was giggling, laughter struggling up and past his heaving chest as he laughed because it was just so unfair and surreal he just couldn’t-

“Leave him sister. He is only kine” Nuada said in a low voice and John could just about hear it past the humming in his ears.

“Oh brother. He…he saved my Abe. Please, he must survive this” Nuala’s voice was fading from him, the two of them moving further away to continue talking.

“Then perhaps...he shall. But Nuala-” they paused for a moment, as if listening if there were any extra ears perked to the conversation, “you must tread very carefully with this”.

“I know…”  Nuala answered, like she had much more to lose than John in this situation.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wobbly updates. I'm struggling not to go AWOL as its hard keeping on track and ensuring i actually have story to upload. Sometimes you just dont have any new ideas, you just dont WANNA write.
> 
> And sometimes the ideas are there, but god its so hard getting it out and onto a page for people to read.  
> So a quick update while i try to work on the next chapter.

Once Nuala had finished their talk, he’d been collected by two regal looking helpers. He hadn’t panicked as they’d guided him away, listening to Nuala as she told him that it would be ok. Hearing her voice fade down the corridor did not help his nerves, his stomach cramping too hard with fear that it hurt to walk.

When he was finally left alone in a small room that barely fit a table and chair, he forced himself to swallow down the lukewarm broth they gave him, ignoring any thoughts about it being his last meal. Thankfully, the two helpers seemed to be hovering around his room and didn’t leave him alone too long to stew in his own worries.

They give him clothes and a few seconds peace to put them on and then returned him to Nuala’s room.

John fiddled with the ends of the coat he’d been given to wear. It was formal clothing, long and woollen and tailored for someone a bit taller and slimmer than him and John was _not_ looking at Nuada to see if the measurements fit.

He could only take so much, already feeling the edged of his mind waver as if ready to take a nose dive.

The only problem was that upon John’s return, he discovered that Nuala had gone ahead, and it was left up to Nuada to escort John to the small court.

A task that showed how beneath him it was by the high tilt of his chin, as if John was one more nuisance that he would have to deal with.

The corridor John was led down was old brick, the kind that leaked coldness and sucked up all the light and heat. The only things to see by were the wooden torches mounted on the wall, the setting more ancient than the creature ‘escorting’ John to his trial.

And John could see it now.  How truly old Nuada was.

His clothes didn’t fit any time period John had lived in, or his parents. The buckles of his clothes were worn but polished and looked after. Even the material his clothing was made of seemed different to anything mass produced today.  It was tough and sturdy material, built to last.

But it was Nuada’s skin that gave it all away.

John pressed his fingers over his arm, previously where Nuada had grabbed him when John had taken too long walking, and it had felt…odd. It had only taken a seconds contact as John had grabbed at Nuada’s hand to get him off, but that was it. He’d flinched, had actually tried to back pedal if only Nuada hadn’t gripped his arm harder, clearly indicating that if John continued with that thought, he’d lose his arm.

But his skin had been dry and smooth, cold as stone and as hard as if John hadn’t been standing in front of something alive. Like a statue, full of wrath and disregard for a simple human life.

Nuada had only been allowed to march John down a singular corridor before others joined them. Cloaked figures in dark grey robes, their heads, arms and bodies completely covered from view as if it was imperative that John not see them underneath.

They’d surrounded John from behind, allowing Nuada to head the group, his chin held high as if it was a great duty that he was completing now that he had to present a strong front.

John could tell that the creatures that surrounded him were not human. They didn’t walk upright, they hunched forward like elderly men, but god, the rasping noise was similar to an asthmatic struggling for breath, wheezing for air like they just couldn’t get enough.

It made John walk faster, nearly stepping on the back of Nuada’s shoes.

Thankfully Nuada didn’t turn around and outright murder him when John inevitable _did_ stand on his right shoe heel, just tilted his head down and gave John the needed second to jolt back.  

But they’d stopped. Right in front of tall oak doors that looked far too imposing to be a simple doorway to another corridor.

They’d arrived at the court.

John swallowed-felt his tongue stick to the roof of his mouth- and had to roll it around for moisture. He didn’t acknowledge how hard it was to swallow, how his throat squoze together and tensed.

He couldn’t do this!- he hadn’t done anything-

“Hold your nerve human. Nuala had vowed to try and save your life. Do not act out of turn and have her efforts wasted” Nuada spoke, his voice flowing so smoothly into Johns head he could have sworn it had actually been projected.

Maybe it had.

One of the creature’s behind John gasped in a hard breath, as if it was preparing itself for something, and Nuada acted, shoving himself forward and throwing the door open with a sweep of his arm. The move looked dramatic, but John was right behind him, rushing into a court room like it held his saving grace.  Anything to get him away from that noise.

Every hair on the back of his neck had stood up at that noise, like he knew if he spent one more second without Nuada being in arm’s length, they’d reach out and-

- _what-drain him?-drag him off and do god knows what to him-_

The court room was actually very modern styled, the chairs adorned with intricate details and soft leather cushions coloured in the faintest of reds. The rows of chairs that would normally only sit in the jury section were lines up behind each other, each row rose higher than the previous as if to look over at the defendant.

The court could have held a hundred people. But it didn’t. Instead, every chair was filled save for the one right in the centre of the room, and the rest were filled with monsters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for all the love and support so far guys. I fully intend to end this fic, but not for several more chapters. When i decide on the ending (cough cough) then i'll update the fic with an 'end chapter' page so you've got some forwarning.


	13. Chapter 13

Monsters. Every last one of them.

John didn’t have to look twice. He just knew.

Their eyes tracked his progress as he was guided to the centre chair, gaze too blood thirsty and unblinking. Not humans at all.

There was no sympathy, no indication of any emotion really…just a dead stare.  They didn’t falter, just allowed their heads to swivel with him as he went and stood in front of the chair.

John didn’t sit down straight away, just waited to see if Nuada would say if he needed to do something. And-

 _Nuala!-_ John’s brain screamed her name in distress as his eyes jumped about, refusing to miss her face in the sea of pale dead ones. But- she wasn’t there.

_Where was she?!_

John turned sharply, trying to show his dismay without opening his mouth. He might just freak out if he did. But…Nuada looked wrong. His lower lip was tucked between his teeth and his eyebrows were arched down in confusion. His was rapidly scanning the room, no doubt looking for Nuala as well.

He didn’t know where she was either.

John didn’t so much as sit down as…fall into the chair. His knee’s had taken the decision off his hands and he tucked himself into the chair as he tried to hang onto some semblance of control.

He must have looked as pathetic as a human could, but he knew there was no sympathy to be had.

But where was she?!- she’d promised she’d try and save him!-

John blinked back the rush of fearful tears, the pressure of panic building in his throat it became difficult to breathe. He was not about to start begging for his life- no way. He’d rather give them a real reason to kill him!- not simply for knowing about them. It wasn’t his _fault-_

Nuada stepped up behind his chair and lent over John’s closest shoulder, his long whitened hair touching John’s skin so delicately that it started prickling on contact. And John knew it was trick, something to make humans lean into the softness and closer to the teeth-

He crushed his eyes closed and held his breath, more trying to control his breathing than out of fear of being bitten or attack by Nuada.  He almost didn’t hear his voice, telling John to stand up.

The trial was starting.

When John was adequately straightened back up, Nuada nodded his head and stepped forward, his posture controlled and regal as every eye turned to him on command.

“Greetings to the court” Nuada’s voice rang out, strong and sure sounding. He didn’t look like he had any problem with speaking to a room full of monsters, and maybe that was because he was one of them, John summarised to himself.

Nuada was a monster. Vampire to be correct. One of the many who would rather kill John than see him live.

For one brief, insane moment, John envisioned himself jumping around his _pathetic_ singular chair and making a break for the doors. Wrapping his hands around the metal handles and pulling them open-

He’d be killed before he got five feet. He knew that as sure as he knew that if Nuala didn’t show up within the next few seconds, he’ll be dead.

“-see Nuala?”

John blinked his eyes at Nuada back, trying to focus on what was being discussed. He was allowed to freak out, but this moment was important and he’d have to pay attention if it meant getting out of here.

A tall-scratch that- _giant_ of a creature stepped forwards onto the aisle walkway, the location placing him in the greatest position of power. The judge. And when he spoke, John did a double take at the thing.

“Nuala was due to be present”, the creature spoke in a high pitched whisper, almost unbearable to listen to as goosebumps erupted along Johns arms. “She is to be delayed, as an external clan has approached our home. She will be dealing with the outsiders until the matter is no more”.

Nuada’s head lowered a fraction, interested in what his sister was up to-and John felt his legs wobble. No- he was doomed- Nuada wasn’t-

“The trial of John, T. Myers is now in motion-”

A low lever buzzing noise was filling John’s ears, wavering the edges of his sight as if trying to spare his brain from reality. Maybe if he blacked out he’d be too deep to be aware of it when they…killed him.

“The charges are as recognised. A human has been made aware of our presence. Second, this same human was allowed to be taken into the custody of hunters-”

They were removing his identity to ensure there were no emotional attachments to him. It was easier to blame an unknown person, imagine the worst of them and not see their scared faces and know their _names-_

“Thirdly, while extracting the human, many of our kind were killed in the battle. We lost several from each clan. You are all aware of our numbers, how the hunters _deal_ with our kind. This human has caused the untimely death of our own. He must be destroyed”.

Several hisses of rapid agreement shot up at different ends of the aisles, some choosing to even stand up and wave an angry fist.

John kept his head down, eye trained on the backs of Nuada’s feet. _Why wasn’t he saying anything?!_

“Wait!” a woman’s voice shouted and at once, every vampire that had rose to its feet slammed down into their chairs, eyes wide and looking as shaken as John felt.

The wooden doors of the room were thrown open wide as if to let more people in and so rebound off the stone walls hard, making John near leapt out of his skin, his nerves shot to hell that he only felt mildly embarrassed because of his reaction.

As everyone turned to see who it was, Nuala of all people strode forwards, her head high as she took stormed forwards towards John and Nuada. She’s even bunched up the edges of her skirt, clutching it hard in her hands so she could walk.

No one stopped her, the guards only gently cradling their daggers at their belts. And behind her, Liz, Abe, Broom and Hellboy approached, eating up the distance fast enough to make Johns heart pound in his throat.

_Why were they here!_

John turned to back away- and slid right up against Nuada, his solid shape enough to make John freeze where he was. Nuada had been expecting him to panic and had moved to intercept him.

While the air in his lungs stuttered in fright, John only knew Nuada had moved closer by how the fine hairs on the edges of his head tingled from the motion.

Warmed breath touching John’s right cheek, “Steel your heart human” Nuada told him in an almost comradery manner, “and-” a cold hand touched the lowest point of Johns back and pushed him forwards a step. “Stay your ground…least you be devoured”.

When John spun his head to check what Nuada’s expression would tell him, he witnessed a slow, cruel smile crawl onto Nuada’s face. It was almost enough to make John step another foot away from him. But if he did, then he’d be closer to _them_.

The phrase ‘A rock and a hard place’, floated into the front of Johns mind and he almost doubled over to laugh. He was doomed either way. They all wanted him-

“-We demand that you let our human live!” Liz shouted, anger making her words rougher and matching her defiant pose, her hands planted on her hips and looking for all the world like she was not to be messed with.

Behind him, Nuada started to chuckle quietly, making it low enough that anyone outside of a few feet would struggle to hear.

John kinda thought he was an asshole… in the privacy of his own mind.

“Your human!?” the judge growled back, voice no longer a soft whisper but filled with fury.

“Yes” Liz answered, moving close enough to John to give his arm a friendly pat that he mostly jolted away from. “ _Our_ human” she emphasised, voice going fond.

 

The judge huffed an angry laugh and again, terrified shivers raced up and down John’s spine. While he was afraid of all the creatures he’d encountered so far, this _judge_ was making him remember all the times he raced up the stairs in his parent’s house, the lights on the second floor not enough to sooth and protect him from what may be hiding in the darkness behind.

“All of you cannot claim one human” the judge denied, “who is this humans master!”

John scowled and thought for a very brief second of letting  every one of these creature know that he _had no master-he wasn’t a pet!-_ and promptly shut that thought down.

Right now, he wanted to live and he had enough self-preservation to keep his mouth shut.

“He’s-” Liz let her eyes roam the aisles of vampires, and licked her lips. “-He’s up for consideration within our clan”.

Johns stomach did a flip, turning about on itself hard enough he felt sick. That didn’t sound good.

And Liz only made it worse.

“He’s our emissary for now, until the decision has been made” she concluded.

The room remained quiet, the few vampires who’d stood up previously lowered their gazes, faces uninterested and withdrawn from the situation.

John didn’t take comfort in the knowledge he now, maybe, might live thanks to Liz. Because Nuada was still smirking, grinning at the situation.

Like he found it entertaining, like he knew John was fucked either way.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo- i kinda fell behind. Well that wont do. I wonder what i could write to make it up to you all....hmmm....

John had not voluntarily made the decision to leave the court of his own volition. It was more that Hellboy had stepped forwards and _gently_ taken his arm. He’d been too stupefied by relief over the fact he was going to live that he’d just followed the tugging, allowed himself to float out and away. It was only until he was left standing outside the courtroom with a small group of monsters all crowded around him that it sunk it.

Hellboy anticipated his aborted escape and snagged his arm _a lot_ harder, pulling him back into the centre of their group.

 “Let me go!” John ground out through his teeth, trying not to shout or sound too panicked. If he showed how much he was losing his nerve, he’d never be able to-

“Relax Boy Scout, we’re not gonna hurt ya. Easy” Hellboy used a soothing voice, but it wasn’t working. Not when the soft tone and kind words were coming from a 6 foot red _demon_.

John pulled harder to try and get free, probably drawing unwanted attention from people walking past. He didn’t care. He could feel the skin on his arm sting like he was getting the worst chinese burn, and when he made to tug harder-he was let go.

-And promptly fell into Nuada.

They both stumbled from the momentum but Nuada regained his footing first, and grabbed the front of his shirt aggressively and snarled. “Mind your footing you-”

Once again, it was Liz and Nuala who both saved him from getting harmed.

“Red no!” Liz shouted, voice echoing as _Red_ , the demon, reached forwards for Nuada’s arm, looking like he was about to rip them off. Nuada looked ready for him; eyes honest to god gleaming with challenge as Nuala gently unwound his fingers from John’s shirt.

“Now now brother. He is only Kine, as you have said. They are not to be harmed” she soothed, hands lovingly patting down the twists and bunches in John’s shirt, putting him right as quick and efficient as any parent.

John tugged the sides of his shirt down and stood straight, feeling awkward and embarrassed that so many people were there to see such things. He didn’t want to feel ashamed for not being able to fight back, he wanted to be able to defend himself, use the training that was drilled into him and take all of these creatures in to the _human_ courts, so _they_ can be judged.

Fuck- he just wanted to go back to his life….

Something clicked near his left ear, the noise quiet, like he was only now just recognising it was there. John turned his head to see what it was and paled. It was a thin hand, perched gently on his shoulder with fingers so boney that they cracked quietly as they moved.

John’s skin started to crawl, eyes already following the hand and arm up to Abe’s face, the one who had started all of this.

He was looking at John like he understood _why_ he was freaking out so much. And John felt his throat try to close up in fear and grief that his life was in the balance and a _fucking monster_ was sympathising with him before anyone else.

“Please”, John begged, “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I was just doing my job. I’m sorry if I’ve-” he waved his hands to try and find the word he was looking for, the one that might save him from this situation. “-done something wrong-to you or your kind. But I’m human, I have a normal life! I don’t want this”

“Oh John”, Abe looked emotionally moved by his words, his deformed brows lowering in shared pain. “I’m sorry that this’s happened to you. It’s all…out of our control. Perhaps fate –or- the universe has decided it’s so, but do not fret. We _will_ make it right”.

John didn’t feel relieved, just allowed his hands to fall back to his sides, imitating the hope that had just dropped and died inside him. 

He’d wanted Abe to tell him that he was going to be ok. _Something_ for him to know that he’d survive whatever it was that was coming.

Saying they were going to make ‘ _It’_ alright merely meant the situation. Something John had no control over.

“Come along, we will allow you to reside her for tonight” Nuada instructed, no longer interested in glaring with Hellboy and swiftly started to lead the group away.

It was made abruptly clear to John just how unsafe it was to walk about, as vampire’s freely roamed the corridors and rooms. Only a few were brave enough to turn a toothy grin to their group, like they could smell John, and only his small group forming a protective circle around him was keeping them at bay.

They were shown to a large sitting room and in a tucked away corner was a fire place, a small fire already crackling the coals inside. It was cosy and most of all, it was warm.

John hadn’t realised just how cold he’d gotten, the shivering coming more from fear than the chill that constantly surrounded him. 

Slowly, he walked over to the fire to warm his hands, making sure that his pace gave the others time enough to tell him to stay put if it was dangerous. But they left him alone and spread out into the room and really, that was the best thing John had seen all night. No one was hovering too close to him, some talking amongst themselves except-

He felt his heart rocket into his throat and lodge there; pounding into his jugular the same instant he noticed that Nuada was watching him. Like a hawk.

The sensation was unique and promptly terror inducing. In the past, people had described how suspects watched them, of how their eyes felt like pointed daggers, sharp and deadly and waiting for an opening.

John hadn’t ever had the experience before. Until now.

Quickly, he turned his face away and back to the fire. It felt fantastic, the coals burning a hot ember in the drum. It did nothing to alleviate the stare from Nuada.

“John, we’d like to discuss some important matters with you, if you will?” Abe came over to him after only been allowed to chase the chill away.

It gave John time to suck in some air, force the lump from his throat back down to his chest and nod. “Yeah-I- yeah alright”.

It was a shame they had to move to the seats further into the room. John would have liked to sit near the fire…and as far away from Nuada as he could.

Hellboy was openly tracking Nuada across the room, his eyes unmoving from him as he began to pace behind his sisters chair and John was a tiny bit- miniscule- relieved that _someone_ was watching Nuada.

The man looked like he was about to leap across the chairs and stab John in the chest for all the inconvenience he’d caused.

“I’d like to personally thank you all for coming”

That stopped Nuada short, and in turn, tuned John and Hellboy back into the conversation.

Nuala smiled in a coy manner, her face tucked down towards her chest…but she had been watching them, had seen them eyeing each other and recognised when to step in.

John eased his grip on the arms of the chair and sat forward, closer to the group and her. She was going to be his saving grace…he hoped.

“I don’t know what you want me to say. That night-” John let his eyes wonder to Abe for a brief moment and Nuala followed suit, giving Abe a large and warm smile- and that- that made John stutter. The two of them…were smiling at each other. Like they were old friend…old…something’s-

“Nuala” Nuada hissed behind her, perched closer to her chair than he’d been before.

She jolted as if he’d rammed a shock stick into her back. She almost looked embarrassed to be caught, turning her head down and away from Abe, and John didn’t need to see the disappointed look on Abe’s to know something else was going on.

When Nuada stood back up, he looked terrifying, eyes going around the room and daring anyone to say something.

John quickly swallowed the words he had lined up for the two, sinking back into his seat when Nuada stepped around his sister and to the centre of the seating area, like he was moving in for a killing blow.  

“We are here because a human has been exposed to our ways. Now, you come into _our_ home and claim him as your own, yet he bares none of the demanded markings. This can only mean…that your claim is false. Do any of you wish to explain why you lied in our courts this night?”

The room was silent.

Nuada turned to John and the sneer wasn’t as present as it previous was. His lip was still upturned, a hint of teeth there and looking ready to be used, but…his eyes were curious.

John wanted to fall backwards through his chair to get away from it. He didn’t want anyone looking at him like he was under a microscope, let alone a passing interest. No, he wanted them to look at him like he was a person, living and breathing and so god damn afraid it made his legs weak.

“This human is no different than the rest. He is weak, breakable. He will not be missed. The carnage that will take place should it be discovered you’ve lied in the courts-”

“Brother no!” Nuala shot up out of her chair, clothing flailing in her rush. “You mustn’t”.

“Be quiet Nuala, can’t you see what they’re doing?”  Nuada hissed, spreading his right arm out wide to encompass Hellboy’s group.

“They are trying to save him. I can see that”

“They are using you!- Your-” he cut off, turning his head away from her as if he could not bear to say the words.

Nuala’s face slowly fell, realisation clearing the hurt and challenge away and leaving understanding.

“My-my what!” she said, voice crackling over each word as she tried to keep her emotions in control. “My desire to see a _good and pure heart_ survive in this black world. My desire to-” she looked back at Abe and again, John saw Nuada’s head lower and-

Oh

_Oh no._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone who might not know:  
> Kine: Humans  
> Kin: Vampires and bloodlines
> 
> So maybe a little vamp scene comin up. THEN Maybe a little sex scene?? maybe too soon? hmm....slow burn scene?? No idea. I'm making it up as i go. I've got an idea for the end so at least i can work towards that. But its way off.
> 
> Anywho, once again you are all lovely people and you leave me such LOVE that i felt so guilty not updating it until now. So i'll try to upload again before or on sunday. Thanks for all the support so far and more fic comin soon!


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How do i keep making the chapters late!- i thought i'd uploaded this already on saturday. I apologies. Here it is. I WILL WRITE SOMETHING BEFORE NEXT WEEK. 
> 
> Just to let u all know- my laptop is on the fritz and thats one of the big reasons why i've neglected writing. I dont wanna lose my work..... and i envision myself often taking a hammer to it for its near daily crashes. So yer.

“My desires…are my own. Not for you to decide” Nuala spoke, sounding stronger but no less choked by her emotions. It was almost difficult to make out the words, but-

“Nuala…sister. You cannot…” Nuada soothed, trying to calm her. And yet she looked almost moved to the point of rage, her beautiful face twisting in on itself and filling with redness as she grew more upset.

“Why!” she threw her hand out, pointing at Abe. “Because he is a nosferatu!- because he is not of our line or blood!”

“No!” Nuada finally snarled back and John didn’t need to see his face to know his words were only garbled due to his elongated teeth. Nuala’s had slid down in response to her brother’s challenge, so John made the smart decision to slowly slid down and out of his seat and behind Liz and hellboy.

Neither of them cared for the fight building up, but nor were they completely removed from it. Hellboy was fingering the gun strapped to his belt and Liz was rubbing her fingers together in a nervous gesture. It didn’t seem to be a tick though, as small plumes of smoke were drifting out of the tips.

John kept back, ready to duck and roll-

“Nuala- please”, Abe lifted a hand to placate the situation, edging closer to her like she was a cornered tigress, ready to leap and rip and tear-

John could believe she was the same person who had soothed him, had been the one trying to save his life. Now she looked deadly and every inch like a monster, her teeth fully extended and aiming all her wrath at Nuada who was…standing quietly, like the fight had gone out of him.

If Nuala attacked him, Nuada wouldn’t defend himself.

Abe got to Nuala before anything worse could take place, his wrinkled skin and deformed head looking even more alien compared to Nuala’s flawlessness.

And it was completely clear _why_ Nuada had a problem with this.

And it was utterly too late for anything to change how Nuala and Abe responded to each other, how she leaned into his presence and he looked at her as if all the answers he ever needed were within her. It was beautiful, their arms linking and holding on like it was always meant to be.

“I see” Nuada’s agreed in a whisper. John looked across at him, hoping he would see something that might spare Nuala and Abe his judgement- but his head was turned in Johns direction, his expression searching.  

He looked like he’d come to some understanding that he was struggling to withstand.

“What?” John asked, confused, already arching a foot back should he need to get out of the way of any wayward attacks.  

“You” Nuada continued, no longer staring at Nuala and Abe and turning towards John. It made everyone else look around as well, looking at John to see what was happening.

John would _also_ like to know what was going on.

“What” He demanded a bit too forceful, starting to edge back and ready to run should Nuada get close enough to attack. Corridor of vampires be damned.

“Hey, princey!” Hellboy cut across whatever Nuada was about to say, thankfully drawing his focus away.

“What’d you mean ‘You”, he even added finger quotations to the word, like he found it idiotic.

“Johns ours” Liz added, leaning half over her chair and reaching an arm out to him, not to draw him over but to block anyone from getting close.

Nuada was smirking, the annoyed twist to it building as hellboy continued to glare him out. “Him, your human- or should I say… emissary”

John really didn’t like how Nuada smirked, like he knew something that no one else had caught onto yet.

Nuada shot Nuala a look and her face twitched as if she was seeing his thoughts broadcast across her mind. Maybe she was. John wouldn’t put it past them. They’d already displayed some form of powers. Perhaps telepathy was another-

“If he is truly to become your emissary, then he must have spent time with the clans yes?”

John could feel something deadly hovering above him, one wrong word could set it off, and he had no idea when it would drop.

The room went quiet.

Everyone had frozen, perched on the edges of their seats like they’d sensed the change in the winds. Except Broom, who was happily _humming_ to himself.

John wasn’t going to get any help off him. The guy was trapped too far in his own little world, not concerned with John or how his life was on the line. If someone didn’t speak up in the next second, John was going to bolt.

He could do it- make the door and maybe startle the vampires outside badly enough that it would give him enough time. Time to run and get out and away.

“Very well, if my sister and I are to be woven into your lies, we will do this my way” Nuada began, moving over to a tallest bookcase in the room and pulling a book out at random. Only it wasn’t random, not to Nuala’s’ shocked gasp as she raced over to him, snatching the book away and flipping through it rapidly.

Hellboy leant over to Liz and the leather of the coach creaked with his move. “What’s going on?” he stage whispered, a grin creeping onto his face the longer Liz fought her own.

“Nuada is being coy” she assessed and in return Nuada merely shot her a cool stare for her trouble.

Nuala nodded vigorously and Abe rushed across the room to her, his tall frame allowing him to lean over her shoulder to read what she was jabbing a finger at.

“Yes, that would work” Abe agreed.

“As I said” Nuada emphasized, “if you are to continue on this lie, we do it my way” and he looked back towards John, as if expecting him to react, a glint of knowing in his eyes. Like he knew John was seconds away from hitting the door at full speed.

John edged one foot back, the muscles in his calves tensing in preparation. Nuada was still watching him-

“This could work. No, it will” Nuala affirmed, swinging around and pushing past Abe and over to John. “Listen to me. I promised you I would do everything to save you, and this-” she turned the book so he could see it and-

The pages were written in strange shapes and symbols. He’d never seen anything like it.

“This will save you” She finished.

John had never felt so out of his depths before, bereft of her hope and conviction because he couldn’t understand what she was explaining.

“Nuala” Abe caught up to her, gently folding his hands under the book, “it’s in our language, he can’t read it”.

“Oh my” Nuala blushed in embarrassment and John felt his body’s tensions levels drop a few degrees.

“I’d forgotten. It’s been so long. We’ve not had a human in our midst for some time. Certainly one not trained to accommodate our ways. My apologies John, I’m- I’m learning as we all go along”.

“its…fine” John finished lamely, not knowing what he was meant to say.

“It explains that we need to follow guidelines, if we are to- ahem” Abe coughed, stuttering over something in the text. “-to _protect_ you. Now, as you’re to be our emissary, you need to interact with members of each clan. But _luckily for you_ …you already have- or nearly”. He waved a passive hand at Nuada and Nuala and John just- he was so confused.

“Abe!” he fumed, “just tell me what I need to know so I can get out of this!”

Abe, thankfully, didn’t look to be bothered by John’s short temper. “Well, alright. By coincidence, you’ve completed 80% of the required criteria. You needed to spend time with the Brujah’s but our resident big red friend here has you covered for that”

“Hellboy?” John asked, turning to the demonic man for an explanation.

“Yep. I may be red but I-”

Liz whacked him in the chest and he grunted in response, giving her a raised eyebrow.

She scoffed at him, “Keep it clean”.

“Well you didn’t let me finish. Anyways,” hellboy pulled his trench coat around him, “I’m part of the Brujah’s bloodline. The whole big and red thing I get from daddy dearest”.

John couldn’t help that he turned and looked and Broom, who was staring seriously back. It was the first time he’d involved himself in anything that had been going on, so John forgave his heart for jolting like he was having a pre-heart attack.

“Oh no dear boy, not me. While I do think of Hellboy as a son, he is not part of my bloodline. In fact, if he was, he’d be far more of a menace than he is. No, hellboys bloodline focuses on strength and destruction, not helped any by his mother being impregnated by a demon”.

 _Ok what._ Not only was that the clearest and longest broom had gotten through one sentence…just- _what_

“My line suffers a debilitation degeneration of the mind, a _schizophrenia_ you might say. I am known as a Malkavian, one of the few whose mind are opened up to the world, the layers of my psyche splintered to allow the light of truth in”.

Ah, there was the strangeness John had come to associate with Broom.

“And…Abe?” John wavered, not wanting to outright pointing at him, but Abe only gave him an amused smile. “You’re a- a Nosferatu?”

“Yes, in fact, I’m only one of a few currently residing in this city at the moment. You’re quite lucky”

John’s attempt at amused laughter died in his chest and with it, Abe’s smile slowly slid away.

“Well, to cut across this awkward moment, I’ve covered the Tremere line” Liz announced, learning forwards and showing John her left palm. It was flickering, some unseen power rippling in her hand.  

“Magic?” John guessed, fear and wonder clashing so strongly in him he didn’t know if he should crowd forward to look or step back.

“Yep” she popped the P and leant back into the couch, smacking hellboys leg to make room for her. She didn’t seem at all uncomfortable with his presence, or fearful that he’d retaliate.

“Ok” John whispered, and had to clear his throat. “Ok so, who am I missing?”

“The Gangrel’s and Toreador’s. But…” Abe touched his hands together nervously and threw Nuala a look. She didn’t look like she wanted to step in on this topic either.

It was Nuada who answered him.

“The Ventrue, _my_ bloodline. _Our_ clan”, he looked at Nuala and then back to John, “we are the ones you need to interact with”.

_No-no no no_

“We’re the ones that you must talk with in order for us to recognise you as an emissary. And only our _joined_ agreement can give that verification. Plus, to cut to other matters, the required clans who also need to address you are within our home also”.

Nuada was back to looking smug.

“And only I can introduce those clans to you. While Nuala has her kind words and outside reach, it’s within these walls that _I_ address the clans and keep the peace”.

“He’s right John” Nuala reluctantly agreed, going to stand next to Nuada. “We just need to get you introduced and recognised by the other clans, and you’ll be safe. No one will be allowed to touch you”.

That didn’t mean that Nuada would go along with it. He’d already shown that he’d rather see John dead than making life difficult.

“So-cant it be you. Nuala-” John stuttered over his words, already losing hope as she shook her head in regret.

“I’m sorry” she concluded.

Not as much as John was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clan info  
> http://vtmb.wikia.com/wiki/Brujah  
> http://vtmb.wikia.com/wiki/Malkavian  
> http://vtmb.wikia.com/wiki/Toreador  
> http://vtmb.wikia.com/wiki/Tremere  
> http://vtmb.wikia.com/wiki/Gangrel  
> http://vtmb.wikia.com/wiki/Ventrue  
> http://vtmb.wikia.com/wiki/Nosferatu
> 
> If i missed any- all clans can be found on them pages-linking back to one another.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still getting used to my new laptop. keys r spaced wider than normal. but hey- a new chapter!!

“So what happens now?” John glanced around the room, trying not to let his defeat show.

There was no way he was going to be recognised as emissary….

“Now, they leave” Nuada lowered his head at Hellboys group, causing Hellboy to jolt forwards in anger.

Liz’s hand sprung up and snagged the side of his trench coat, effectively stopping him from leaping off the couch to start a fight.

“What in the hell are you on about!” Hellboy growled, his teeth stark white and clashing with his reddened skin. Liz joined him in his stance, looking ready to pull something out of the rippling air around her.

Broom started to hum under his breath again, tapping his foot and mumbling along to an unfamiliar tune.

“Its tradition” Nuala stepped forwards -between them, “John must spend time with the clans- without outside interference. If you all choose to stay…”

She shook her head, indication how bad that could be. And John could see her point.

“What about him!” Hellboy demanded, jabbing a finger at Nuada who actually dropped a hand to the dagger attached to his belt.

 But Nuala was there suddenly, as if she’s just blinked out of existence for a few seconds to abruptly appear in front of Nuada, her small hand pressed into his chest, right over his heart. And Nuada stilled.

“My brother is the enforcer. Having an outside emissary in our home is strange enough. No one would meet with John should he approach them on his own. God forbid, they’d possibly outright attack him. That is why Nuada must be his guide. To ensure anyone in our lands obeys the rules”.

John scrunched up his nose, trying to force his brain from imagining how one of those scenarios would turn out. Probably bloody and painful.

No. His best bet was with Nuada.

God help him.

Hellboy and Nuada stayed locked in a staring contest and no patting or telling off from Liz or Nuala was breaking them from their stances.

“Fine!” John ground out, crushing his palms into his eyes. Behind the red and white hue misting behind his lids, he heard Abe gasp at his outburst. He ignored it, too busy trying to contain the chaos now erupting in his mind.

He had to get out of this. He had to _do_ something!

“When…”John couldn’t believe he was saying this. “When do we meet the others….”

“Tomorrow night” Nuada snapped, not bothering to break his stare with Hellboy. “There is a planned gathering of some of the elders of this city. That will be an appropriate time to present an emissary”.

Liz- god love her- crossed her arms and lifted her chin, looking like a child trying to act grown up. “No”

“No?” Nuada was smiling, only his top teeth showing and his- _fuck_ \- his fangs were a bit too long to be considered normal. The image of him so unreal John had to focus to see him clearly, his mind trying to find the surrealness of him and panic.

“We all know what they’ll do to him without someone to protect him!” She snarled, waving her up and down in the air towards John, trying to accomplish the description.

John tucked his hands in his pockets, slightly gratified when no one bothered to look his way. And ignored the other meaning of how they already knew. He was helpless against vampires- probably against every other creature that preyed on humans, so there was little he could do to defend himself.

“That is why _I_ am here” Nuada responded, not looking happy about it. And- _what-_

 _“What!”_ Liz and Hellboys voices perfectly harmonised for the brief second of their confusion.

“While he is in our land and I am introducing him, I am duty bound to ensure all goes well for relations. So you understand-”

-Nuada’s eyes were instantly on Johns, boring down into him to glare at his soul…and his face grew arrogant the longer he looked at him.

“-If your human should fail, it will not be me whom kills him, but one of the clans”.

John got the message loud and clear.

Nuada wasn’t there to protect him; he was there to look after future alliances. And if John put his foot in it, he’d get torn apart by the clans…

Lovely

“Oh stop that” Nuala hissed, lightly smacking Nuada on the arm as he turned back to her.

It was a playful gesture that only siblings can get away with. To John, it only showcased their stark differences.

“Dear sister, I am only doing what is best for the clans. If their human is insufficient, he will die. There is nothing of my hand in that”.

Nuala looked like she wanted to say something to that, but kept quiet.

“John” she came over to him, smiling in a pleasant manner. “You’ll be safe in one of our chambers until tomorrow night’s meeting. Y-ou-”, she cut off, eyes going glazed and distant and-

John took a sharp step back, his spine snapping straight as goosebumps erupted along his arms and neck. It was swift how quickly she went from sweet and nice to suddenly …hungry.

“I’m-I’m sorry” her frozen expression crumbled, a pale hand going up to cradle her head and Abe was already rushing to her side, arms going around her shoulders as she curled into his chest.

“I-” she sounded like she was licking her lips, stuttering out her words hurriedly. “You’re- pure John. _You’re so pure_ ”. She emphasised, her other hand going over her heart as if to stop it from escaping.

John took another step back- and stepped on Brooms toes.

He jolted forwards, a faint apology already falling from his numb lips, but Broom didn’t notice, eyes hollow. He was smiling; a creeping edge of instability leaking through and John wanted to back away.

But where- he couldn’t get near Nuala and Broom looked 2 seconds away from reaching forwards and snapping his neck.

“It’s the soul of a saint dear boy” Broom gleefully explained, not backing away and invading his space. “You have followed once before- many time” Broom nodded his head, as if agreeing with the words coming out of his mouth.

“You are as pure as it gets. Your heart and souls is uncoloured-”

“Yeah yeah” Hellboy interrupted, “like a colouring book. Look kid” Hellboy came closer, pulling John away from the group slowly gathering around him and to a clearer spot of the room.

“What he means is, you’re not like all the humans. You’re clean, no murder or corruption in ya. And we vamps? We like that. It’s gonna save ya from the other hot head clans you meet tomorrow”.

John couldn’t believe that a red demon looking man was giving him a morality boost. He was only short of giving John a playful knock on the chin and wishing him good luck. And John hated how much it mattered…

“Alright” John nodded, feeling that scared thing inside settle.

Everyone was quiet, looking around at each other as if unsure what to do. And Nuada looked 5 seconds away from throwing them all out. He was also avidly _not_ looking at Nuala and Abe.

“Right” Liz chirped happily, walking up to John in a relaxed manner, like they were old friends coming back together. She threw her arms around his shoulders and hugged him to her, hard and just the right pressure. It helped.

John-as if out of a trance- found himself holding her too, arms gripping at the rough fabric of her coat and hugging her like she was the last source of comfort.

It was so easy to forget what they were, their nature and what they did to humans- to people like John.

There was a pause in the air-pressure at the centre of his forehead and -

_“Don’t drink anything he gives you”_

The words were projected, filling the inside of Johns skull, pressing into his brain and making him sway. She masked his stumble, making it seem like they were getting ready to let go.

It almost hurt his mind- trying to comprehend the words echoing in his head-realising what she had done and seeing the veiled hope in her eyes as they pulled away. The voice had been smooth and whispered, but it had hit him dead centre of his mind and it was violating in presence.

She snapped him out of it, slapping his arm _hard_ and grinning at him. She could probably see how out of it he was and gave him a needed wake up call.

“So we’ll be going then” She turned to Hellboy and broom, angling her head to the door.

They shuffled out together without much grumbling on Hellboys part, but Abe was still holding Nuala, a pained expression growing on his face.

He wasn’t leaving.

Nuada sighed heavily, stepping around them and snagging John’s left sleeve. “Come with me Human”.

“Its John”

Nuada didn’t respond, so John decided it wasn’t worth possibly getting attacked for back talk and followed. Nuada didn’t take him far, merely down a side corridor and up towards some impressive looking doors.

They moved like a massive force as Nuada opened them and John suspected that it would take more strength than he had if he wanted to get in or out. Inside, the room was decorated expensively, the shape of a tree decorating the feature wall like a crest.

It looked like living quarters, a seating area and walk in closet to John’s right, and to the left a bed that looked like it could close up quicker than a bank being robbed.

John only needed a second to realise it was Nuada’s bed- or coffin to be exact, the combination being hardwood panels mechanically operated to work like doors at the edges. It seemed the royals were actively above the rest, ordaining to sleep in a bed rather than a coffin but needing the means to shut themselves in like the rest.

It was…unnerving.  John didn’t like feeling trapped, and the idea of possibly having to sleep in it was making his chest tight with claustrophobia.

The door behind John slid closed quietly and it felt wrong that Nuada’s hand pushed him along, further in and towards the bed. His legs were growing stiff with fright-

“Wait-I- I can’t get in that” John pressed back, trying to stop Nuada’s insistent pushing. “Its- I get-bad- in closed spaces”.  He’s never had a panic attack, but he did have sweating palms and an increased heart rate when the lift at work took 4 seconds too long to open.

“Very well” Nuada answered and went around him, climbing up into the bed and getting into the contraption. Shoes and all. He pointed back into the room, the doors of the bed already moving. “You may rest there until tomorrow night”.

It was a couch, sturdy enough but the cushions were as thin as they could get.

John glared at it and when he looked back, the doors were completely shut, locking Nuada safely inside away from the sun and John himself.

He didn’t know whether to feel angry or pleased that Nuada was so sure he wouldn’t go walking about or try to escape.

While the vampires roamed the corridors at night, who keeps guard during the day?

John felt the tips of his fingers and toes start to tingle, edging him closer to the door and it felt like his body was eager for him to find out. He grabbed the handle after a few seconds debating, not pulling, just feeling the metal and wrapping his hands around it.

Something sturdy. Something real.

He could feel that scared thing inside him start to panic, try to make his arms tense and pull. It was probably his survival instinct, tying to save him.

But he had a way out now. All he had to do was convince these _elders_ that he was a good human that deserved to live. He could do it, he _had too_ \- or else spend however long it took them to track him, looking over his shoulder and wondering who or what was coming for him as the sun set.

No. He had to play along. Live…survive.

He went back to the couch with slumped shoulders, tucking himself into it. Thankfully, it was made of cotton and stuffing, warm and soft on his skin. His back and sides were the only thing that suffered, aching within minutes as the nights events caught up with him, dragging his eyelids down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i will do a brief john/nuada in next chap or the one after.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i refuse to not finish this story! also writers block is a bast@rd. But its back! for however long i can write for. More will be coming next week. Or whenever i decide to upload the rest. got 2 more chapters written out so far.

_His dreams were foggy –  the hair at the base of his head ruffling -heat brush at his neck like a passing wind. All of it made his stomach bunch and anticipation fill him up with static._

_And it was…odd._

_In the fuzzy essence of sleep, it made him glance down at his stomach and see flickers of after images and his hands-holding in his intestines. Other times, he’d look down and see a pale hand there, fingers fully fanned out and touching the bare flesh of his lower stomach._

_It made his pulse jump. Made his mouth go dry and his blood hum._

_He dreamed of fingers plucked at his collar and the pressure of wooden slots of a chair digging into his back. The tendons in his neck grew taut as his head arched up and back as someone stood over him, pulling the button opens in a hurry. They were cold, giving John brief catches of ice along the column of his throat. Until it was hard to breathe, the hands previously undoing his collar going up and wrapping around his throat._

_He jolted, felt his legs actually kick out from far away-_

_His lips wouldn’t work-_

_-if he could just speak- tell them to stop-he wanted to live-_

Something rocked him and the world tilted, almost shattered on itself and abrupt he turned-

-and landed on the floor… just managing not to smack his nose with the back of his hand.

There was carpet underneath his hands. And polished shoes at the edge of his vision.

Internally, John sighed, accepting his bad luck and following the tailored trousers up Nuada’s legs to his-not so sneering face.

“Get up” Nuada ordered, even as John was already half climbed to his feet. He didn’t want to be that low to the ground, especially when someone like Nuada was stood over him.

He felt shaky, his stomach and arms weak and … when had he last eaten?... he didn’t know. .

“Nu-Nuada” John ventured, trying not to stutter on _every_ word. He had to lick his lips a few times and roll his tongue inside his mouth. They were too dry, yet the room wasn’t warm enough to warrant his sandy mouth. In fact the room was cooled, not chilly, but enough for John not to want to take his jacket off.

Speaking of jacket, his clothes were creased –badly- and at once John felt embarrassed as Nuada’s eyes tracked his form, seeing it all. He insulted John enough. This would just be another stone to throw.

“Tired still?”

John blinked once, confused. How odd.

Nuada didn’t sound as hostile as normal. He looked well rested; _hell-_ there was even a small smile creeping along the edge of his mouth. Like he found something funny.

“No!” John denied sharply-and his stomach dropped. He’d gone on the defensive and in turn, had come across instantly hostile.

Trying to recover from his small outburst, he patted his clothes down to straighten them out. And for his trouble, Nuada grabbed him by the jacket. John hadn’t been able to follow the blurred motion of his arms, so he couldn’t fault his pulse from pounding hard in this throat in fright.

He didn’t respond to John’s grunt of shock or even bother to explain, just dragged him away from the couch and towards his walk in closet.

It only took a few feet to reach, but it was long enough for John’s brain to re-enact terror inducing deaths in his future. His heart was hammering, not realising that Nuada was-had- been talking to him for several seconds.

“What?”

“Take them off” Nuada commanded and shoved a black jacket still on its hanger into his hands. John was quite sure Nuada meant his clothes and not the hanger, and decided not to push his luck with-

“What time is it?” John looked around, but there were no clocks on the walls. He didn’t even have his wrist watch.

“Night has not yet fallen” Nuada answered, sounding happier- and John felt queasy with how quick Nuada’s moods were jolting back and forth. He couldn’t predict how to act, what to say and not set Nuada off or prompt him to _really_ hurt him.

He couldn’t kill him. But pain long term was so much worse than death.

John took the clothes Nuada shoved at him and didn’t even try to drag his feet when he was pushed and prodded into a room that locked from the outside.  And he definitely didn’t panic, just quietly prayed Nuada wasn’t about to leave him there.

He was sadistic enough to try.

John struggle to pull his pants off, hopping for a stubborn second and leaning on anything that could take his weight. His muscles were burning, overexerted and aching. He didn’t feel right- like- _wait—_

Blinking, he turned his left arm in a small circle, rotating it in its socket and trying to feel out any needle pricks of pain. There wasn’t any. He did the same to the other arm. Nothing.

But…he didn’t feel right. He felt sick and light headed and-had someone _fed_ on him?

With his heart in his mouth, John did a rushed job of checking his legs and upper body, but without a mirror to fully look, he’d have to hope there were no marks.

Ok. He was fine. He wasn’t injured- _yet_ -

….But he didn’t _feel_ fine. John summarised it may be that meeting a room full of vampires could do that to you, but he wasn’t so sure.

_-Tap tap-_

_S_ omething thin like a finger drummed on the door and it made John cover himself with the pants clutched in his hands. It was unneeded, as Nuada knocked again-once, twice….and again in rapid succession, insistently knocking on the door to make him hurry up. Rapidly, John changed over his clothes for the newer ones.

He didn’t fancy leaving Nuada alone to contemplate any dangerous thoughts.

While it had only a few minutes, Nuada had begun to build a pattern to his knocks, the sound capturing his annoyance with the force he used that the door was rattling the longer John spent out of sight.

The handle turned easy when John grabbed it and twisted, opening to reveal Nuada’s glowering face, his expression stormy as he looked John up and down as if to see if he’s secreted away any weapons.

“What!” John demanded, folding the old clothes over his arm, unsure where to put them. Would it be rude to drop them on the floor? Was there a specific place-

“Put them down and come here” Nuada didn’t quite growl, but he was annoyed. Great.

Dropping the old clothes at least out of foot space, John followed Nuada back into his room. The bed was unmade and the sheets on closer inspection were glossy and silky, looking well slept in.  

Nuada tugged him the rest of the way to a full length mirror, irritated that John was taking too long- _and stood directly behind him_.

Tiny hairs John didn’t even know he had sprung up on his neck, highlighting every breath Nuada took as he straightened out phantom errors on John’s new clothing.

He was…tidying John up.

“Nuada-” John quietly tried to say, pushing Nuada’s hand away from his body and earned a sharp flick of Nuada’s fingers that snapped Johns away and continued their tidying.

It was embarrassing and highly uncomfortable. Well-not completely uncomfortable.

The prince was very insistent and no matter how much he tugged on Johns clothes to make him loosen his posture, he stayed perfectly still, too cautious to fall into Nuada and get smacked for his trouble.

“There, you are at least presentable” Nuada finished in a pleased tone, stepping back and -

John only noticed Nuada had reached for his collar merely through reflex, his body jolting back and away before Nuada could really get hold of the material.

It was too close- too soon and too fresh from the dream that John could almost taste the sourness of his terror on his tongue and feel it tighten in his gut.

It felt cold and alive, like _-Cold fingers against his neck and-_

Nuada was glaring at him, not at all pleased by the retreat.

Lowering his head, John refused to meet Nuada’s eyes and instead nervously fixed his own collar, buttoning it as high as it would go. There was no reason to give the vampires anything to look at.

Again, Nuada didn’t look pleased, possibly more so for how John was undoing some of his hard work. But he didn’t try to touch him again.

“Follow me”

Nuada led him safely back through the torch lit corridors, vampires parting around Nuada and skimming in close behind John, sniffing and giggling. Watching the way John folded, creeping ever closer to Nuada, trying to hide his fear. They were gleeful of it.

John wiped away the sweat on his palms and stopped with Nuada at high arching doors. They were fancier than all the others they’d come through.

“This is the high chamber, where the heads of our clans meet and negotiate our needs” He turned smoothly on the balls of his feet to stare directly at Johns. “Do not upset them and do not speak out of term. I will be watching”.

When the doors opened, John wasn’t prepared for the explosion of noise. Voices overlapped as regally dressed men and women talked avidly together. Some were clearly not human, their shapes arched forward in a lurking manner, almost too beastly to comprehend.

Some…John wasn’t so sure.

There were people there! Johns was sure of it. They were flushed in the cheeks, faces so beautiful they could have been models, prancing around the room. Not at all scared of the inhuman looking vampires swimming through the crowds.

John didn’t know how they handled it, but some of them, they even talked with the others, brushing close to some and whispering words.

“The Toreadors are the most human of our kind…” Nuada spoke softly near his right ear, too close and making John’s nerve ending hurt with sensitivity. He hadn’t heard him move.

“They play the humans of our world. Capable still of blending with the masses” Nuada seemed almost fond as he spoke, his smirk edging onto the corner of his mouth like he didn’t want to show it.

John glanced back. Maybe it was Nuada’s warning, or maybe he was getting used to seeing the predatory glee when they caught the smell of him. The one woman who caught him looking turned to stare right back at him, her body held completely still. It was her eyes that told John the truth, glassy and hungry like a lioness, so close to the prey it would be an easy kill.

And when her eyes jumped to Nuada, a cruel smile perked her plump lips, accentuating her pointed teeth.

John took a rapid step back, right into Nuada. But Nuada had been expecting it, easily prodding Johns arm to not jab his inside and easily guide John further in.

It was sickeningly easy how he managed to sway into all of John’s private space, arching over his shoulder and at once, feeling like the weight of his presence was damning.

There was a brief tug there; looking into Nuada’s eyes, feeling that strange and drowsy effect curl around his head and start-

-John snap back, out of his space…ignoring the glee and cackles around them. Nuada had been doing _something_ to him. And it was there in his eyes, when they jumped up and glared at John for pulling away. It was hidden inside him, something alien and deadly that stared at John like it wanted to eat him.

“Prince Nuada!” A masculine voice chirped happily- thankfully-breaking the stare. Nuada pulled himself together without any effort, a blink of an eye and he was composed and nodding a greeting to the new man.

A man, if that was what you’d call him. He was breathtaking, too beautiful to be human. Long raven black hair spilling down to his mid back, complimenting his pale complexion, unaffected by age or blemishes. His eyes were _almost_ yet black, a brown so dark it blended seamlessly with the core.

His outfit was clearly a statement to his status, a black tailored suit with slashes of red at the collar and cuffs and a bronze crest brandishing the breast pocket. He looked like a royalty brat, all grace and arrogance to lead him on his path of life…or unlife.

“Alistair, a good night to you” Nuada replied easily and quite quickly, John felt like the third wheel to the conversation. Or- should be. Alistair was eyeing him _far_ too appreciatively.

Begrudgingly Nuada introduced them.

“This human comes as a future emissary to the BPRD clan” Nuada faintly waved a hand up and down John’s frame, as if that was all there was to see, as if it was the end of the introductions on his merits.

“This is Alistair, leader of the Toreador clan. One of the more…civilised of our kind” Nuada added and John could easily see how Nuada played the man. He watched his facial expressions, and it was clear that Alistair had been humbled by such an introduction.

“Prince Nuada” Alistair feigned, hand rising to his chest to press against his heart, “such _kind_ words”.

-John tried not to snort and ended up making a weird inhaled huff…sadly pulled both sets of eyes to him.

“And this” Alistair questioned, voice going light. “Who is this human?, whose blood must run in _your_ veins to be named emissary at such an age?”

Stupefied and feeling a bit like a fool, John-flapped his mouth open and shut, unsure how to respond.

How could he? He wasn’t even sure if he was being made fun of…

“Never the less he _is_ named as such, so for now, my duty to the clans is only partially filled for tonight” Nuada interrupted, forcing Alistair to break his unblinking stare and turn back to him.

They fell quiet, enhanced more so by the room continuing on as it had before. And John felt like he’d just missed something.  The two vampires motionless, their eyes dancing with shared words and micro expressions that passed too fast for John to read.

“And it is a valid and worthy duty of your blood” Alistair agreed, a broad smile pulling at his lips and hinting at teeth a bit too long at the edges. “Enjoy the rest of your night, my prince”.

When Alistair turned away, John fully suspected that he’d just took a jab at Nuada’s title. It helped his hypothesis that Nuada’s expression had grown tight at the vampires turned back.

Perhaps it wouldn’t be John that gets injured tonight….

“Human” Nuada snapped, bad mood filling his words and making his tone hard and unforgiving. “Follow me”.

John was led in a wide arching circle away from Alistair and the small clutter of vampires that flocked around him. He seemed to draw them in with his regal gestures, arm perched perfectly as he accounted a tale and the rest of them soaked it up.

He was clearly quite popular. And if he glanced hungrily at John as they left, it only served to make him stick closer to Nuada.

The creature that Nuada brought him to was clearly-not-human. It was a hunched over woman, her face contorted in a snarl and eyes edging on a glazed red. She was monstrous…and fascinating.

She was dressed in clothes that any young adult in New York would wear, a cotton shirt with some scratched up design on and jeans that had clearly been worn past proper means. She wasn’t put together. Hell- her hair was matted at the base of her neck, the brown locks cut short and jagged in places, but when she looked at John-she changed.

Her back lengthened-pulling up and out of her arched over frame to stand straight and tall and when she smiled, her face rippled, as if trying to remember how humans did it.

Fascinating, and John only realised he’d frozen on the spot when Nuada tapped the lower part of his back with an open palm. A calming gesture for being presented with such a beast.

_What had his life become…._

“Lady Dia, I hope this night greeted you well” Nuada addressed her, tipping his head only an inch, but it was enough.

Apparently, Nuada had great skill when charming the clan leaders. A small give in ground of pride and he earned praise and gratification.

“Prince-” the woman spoke, words grinding as if trying to find a pattern, “Nuada. Your presence is most needed on nights of theeese”.

John didn’t know what that meant, but it seemed that was all they would say to each other. Surprisingly, it was Dia who turned to address John.

“Human, you are- - moonstruck- to move among the dead on this night” Dia grated through the conversation, seeming more unsatisfied that John was not as horrified as he should be.

John was wondering why he hadn’t made his escape sooner….

“I-” John managed to stutter, and Nuada’s hand pressed an ounce harder into his back, a quick reminder to mind his tongue. “Em-Emissary, me- I’m a future emissary…for-”

What had Nuada said? The BPRD- _the hell was that?_

Dia nodded sharply, the hair on her head barely moving with whatever had coated it.

“Yes, I heard”

She looked like she needed a good scrubbing down and a warm meal. Each time John took her in, he was reminded of some of the runaways that they stumbled across in cases, clothes dirty and torn and eyes so god damn hollow it made you hate humanity.

And she wasn’t like them **at all** -not in the ways it mattered- and yet John kept seeing it. Kept allowing his eyes to deceive him and allow him to think _this person_ was anything but a creature that could very easily slaughter him.

Before anything else could be said, Nuada dragged his arm towards John’s upper spine, fingers drumming a light pattern there as he kept a hand on him.

“A human that will possibly serve as a go between for the clans”.

John didn’t like that sentence, and it was Dia who tutted in displeasure. It made the hairs on John’s arms rise-

“Nuada, humans have al-ah-” she coughed, “always been our go between. This one…is special”.

She sounded impressed with John, her expression easing into pleased.

“Yes” Nuada agreed-and John twitched as Nuada’s fingers wrapped securely over the top of his right shoulder. A clear message.

Territorial…and the surrounding vampires reacted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> send some love or hate my way for the length of time i've made you wait. :(


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think you all deserve this little--respite.

Some of the vampires turned away, not wanting to challenge Nuada, others grinned but stayed back. A few…edged closer.

The ones that did looked familiar, offshoots of the group that had been hovering around Alistair. The man himself was stood far enough away to make it clear he was _not_ involved in what was to come. But he seemed amused by the events, sipping at a glass with a murky red concoction.

John felt his stomach jolt- hitting his ribs in its leap to make him _move_ , almost igniting his reaction to be sick. It brought the faint taste of bile to his throat and he had to swallow it down and allow Nuada to reel him back, like a fish caught on a line.

“Clans” Nuada addressed the room, voice suddenly hard and booming. And the small gathering of vampires that had edged closer were no longer alone, but closed in on all sides. Vampires old and young, haggard and beautiful surrounded the group, fangs bared and ready to attack.

Dia was one of them…and it was startling and strange, making John want to _run_ from the threat.

“Who are you to challenge me?” Nuada demanded, hand latched around the whole of John’s elbow and not letting him back away from the very angry group of vampires. The ones who’d been intent of stealing him away, right under Nuada’s nose, regardless of who he was or why he was there.

“You are not royalty” Nuada continued, “You abide by our laws. And if you threaten this coven’s peace….”

The words echoed on, no need for him to add more.

The closest vampire, a bulky skin head of a man covered in tattoos hissed, his teeth long and when he opened his mouth in a building battle cry--his head slid backwards and off his shoulders.

It took several seconds for John’s brain to catch up -what it meant that he’d had only a second of freedom- and snatched up again by Nuada. Enough time for the prince to unsheathe his hip sword, its length now out and displaying the taint of black blood trickling down the edges.

 The rest of the remaining group quickly realised that they’d lost one of their own, and dropped to the floor, bowing their heads and mumbling apologies.

It was degrading. It was what Nuada wanted.

Alistair looked furious. But he held his tongue, and John could see he was eyeing Nuada and his blade with equal levels of disgruntled fear.

“Is there any here who would challenge my right?” Nuada didn’t need to shout, the room quiet enough it carried.

No one responded.

Gratified, Nuada thrust his weapon back into the sheathe, his stance dignified and imposing. It send a ripple through the crowd, the rest of the vampires sliding out of battle stances and snarling faces to weave back together, mingling and talking as they’d done before.

It was all like a staged play, the actors returning to background characters as Nuada stood still, the main focus.

Only the group of bowing vampires stayed. And they stayed there, even as Nuada pulled John away from the room and fading voices, towards golden doors that looked to house the real head of the clans.

It made John’s heart go wild in his chest, certain that this meant disaster.

“Nuada!” John pulled and then yanked, jerking to try and get him to let go. He knew his voice had quivered with a note of panic-but-

_He’d just killed one of them!-_

John couldn’t tell _why_ Nuada suddenly seemed fuelled with a raging fire, his grip pinching painfully, like a bad Chinese burn on his wrist as he propelled them away and down deeper tunnels. Their walk brought them out into a high ceiling chamber and promptly escaping prying eyes behind massive doors with the crest of a golden tree engraved on them.

“Did I not-” Nuada hissed, keeping his voice lowered but advancing on John all the same that he tripped and stumbled over his own feet going backwards. “I told them, ‘emissary’ did I not?”

With each snarl, John saw Nuada’s fanged teeth protrude from his mouth, and a blanket of white noise and fear started to fold around him.

Nuada turned away and pulled at his belted sword aggressively-and John was terror stricken- thinking he was about to pull the blade out and do away with him once and for all. But Nuada pulled the whole thing off and flung it away from him like he couldn’t bear to be armed at all.

It hit the stone wall with a metallic clink and landed pitifully in a messy jumble. Nuada didn’t even wait for it to finish it descent, just stalked around the room, grinding his hands into fists at his sides.

“They know our rules!” he shook his head and his long pale hair flicked, as if trying to express his anger in visual motion. “EMISSARY!” he snarled and his hand smacked a chalice cup off the table, sending it careering off -safely- past Johns knees.

John knew how to deal with this, _this_ was textbook behaviour. He could deal with this.

…He stayed perfectly still, he edged out of Nuada’s direct line of sight when he turned away, not too much to be noticeable- but enough. He let Nuada snarl and rant and get it out of his system. And he didn’t engage.

You don’t feed the fire when it burning at its hottest. Let it burn out and eat itself.

But for every step John took, Nuada unconsciously floated after him, keeping them the same distance. John even got to the seating area and perched at the edge of the chair- drawing focus to him.

The hot air that had built in Nuada eased out of him in a long gust. He must have realised what he looked like, huffing and puffing over a matter of a few vampires stepping on his toes.

John didn’t want to think about how _that_ message was going across with the clans.

An abrupt laugh broke the tense atmosphere-a self defeating noise- and John realised with a start it was Nuada, shaking his head at himself. It was so…human, that John did a double take.

He left John where he was, trailing across the room to go to a cabinet under a side table. It looked like a small drinks hideaway, a place to hide the good alcohol.

When he came back, he placed a tray down onto the foot table, a tall decanter and two glass tumblers the only thing on it. Nuada seized one of the glasses and untapped the decanter, pouring out a long splash of… alcohol.

John didn’t comment on the half filled glass that Nuada presented to him after a second, arm outstretched and waiting for him to take it.

Like he had a choice. Well…he did. But he didn’t fancy his chances with Nuada if he made him wait. He’d already shown he had a quick temper and short patience.

John took the glass and tucked it between his knees, running this thumbs on the outer design and impressions.

Nuada allowed it, topping off the other glass-much more than john’s- and easing back into the facing chair with a tired sigh.

It gave off the impression that they were friends - kicking back and relaxing after a long hard day at the office.

John bit his tongue.

“You have no idea what was happening in there…do you?” Nuada asked quietly. Like it hadn’t been a half hour since he’d introduced John to the clans, like he hadn’t just killed one of his own kind.

When John kept quiet, it only allowed a self satisfying smirk to quirk Nuada’s lips.

He huffed, slouching into his seat. “Yes. Humans can’t pick up on the subtler signs. Perhaps it’s for the best….” Nuada tipped his glass, taking a mouthful and not wincing once. “You…” Nuada didn’t finish, sounding like he didn’t _want_ to reveal to John the reasons why he’d reacted like that.

“From where I was standing….Dia was…she was nice” John finished lamely, trying not to let shame burn his cheeks when Nuada side eyed him.

He let John stew in it. The knowledge that he found something that fed on humans _nice._

“She approves of involving human’s in our business. Other’s-” Nuada tipped his head down, without having to indicate the situation they’d _just_ come from. “-do not”.

“Do you?” John asked sceptically and in fearful reprimand, sipped his own drink. It was a small mistake. The waft of the drink burned his eyes and it felt like acid on his throat-but he forced it down.  Either that or choke-

 _Shit_ \- he’d only taken a sip- but Nuada was grinning at him through the blur of his eyes, gleeful to see John beating a hand on his chest to ease the burn and pray it settled.

“That is 300 year old cognac, worth a better experience than a choked sip” Nuada chided, and the smug bastard even took a generous sip of his drink to show for it.

John learned his lesson- even after the 1st and 2nd failed attempts to leave his glass on the table. Nuada had picked it back up within a second and had pressed John’s hand around it.

The second time, he’d put pressure behind the hold, his hands grinding Johns fingers into the glass just shy of being painful that John had quickly pulled away _with_ the drink just to escape.

He took much smaller sips, barely anything. His eyes still stung and his fingers only throbbed lightly from the squeezing, but he got used to it.

And he realised how much he _did not_ like cognac. It tasted like his first on base room must have smelled like. Cigarettes, the undertone of vanilla and the rich smelling scent of truffles that had no business being in a drink.

It just _tasted_ rich, and John was lower class enough to admit it was too much.

 “They were right about you” Nuada summarised, playing with his empty glass. Not appearing bothered that Johns was still full.

“Pure of heart” he huffed, smirking at the comment like he wasn’t actually including John in on the conversation.

“And a fool of a human to walk into a room _full_ of our kind and not expect to be drained dry”. Nuada moved faster than John could track, shooting forwards to push his glass back on the tray.

It seemed agitation made Nuada forget to play human, allowed for him to use anything at his disposal for the sake of ease.

John fingered the edge of his own and wondered if Nuada would let him stop now.

When Nuada appeared like a phantom on the joined seat, he almost spilled the entirety of it over himself. Nuada wrapped one of his hand around the glass- Johns hand and all- and lifted it up to his own mouth.

“-Nuada!” John faltered and then relaxed his grip, watching as Nuada sipped _his_ glass. At least he didn’t have to finish it.

“Just” John flexed his fingers, and if Nuada really didn’t have hold, they’d both be soaked. “-take it. I don’t…”- John trailed off, voice losing power. He twisted his face away as Nuada changed track, “What are you”-

Instead of sipping the drink, he was pushing it _back_ towards John.

He didn’t want it.

“Nuada” John fussed, having enough strength to push it back. “I don’t want it. Its…a bit too rich for me”.

He didn’t know _how_ that changed things, but it did. Nuada’s expression grew gradually more intense, the glass now wholly in his possession moving back to john’s face.

Nuada pushed the drink closer to his face, too close to see if there was anything wrong with it.  John felt the cold rim of the glass touched his upper lip, close enough to his nose that he caught the strong scent of copper and berries. Not cognac at all-

_Had it ever been?_

It made his throat close up and the muscles contract to try and force him to gag. He blew out the smell with a hard push from his stomach, all the scented air blowing back out through his nostrils as it barely stirred the drink, its texture too heavy it looked syrupy.

He couldn’t bear whatever was now revealed _in_ the drink and tilted his head away, trying to escape, but the glass followed his heads motion, keeping it perfectly perched under his nose and suffocating him with its smell.

Unconsciously wanting to escape, John crawled closer to the edge of the seat, using the arm to push himself up. He ended up knocking his hip hard into a side table weighed down with books and spilling the entirety of it to the floor as he retreated.

The offending drink followed like it had become attached to his face.

Panicked, John looked up to Nuada’s face to try and gauge why he continued to play with him and something small and fragile inside froze with what he saw.

Nuada’s eyes were glazed over and empty.

No, not empty, John thought as he stumbled away faster. They were hollowed out, staring long and hard into John…but there was nothing there on the surface. No thoughts or expressions to point out why John felt like something dark and hungry was crawling around inside Nuada and coming up from his depths.

It terrified him.

Falling backwards, John managed to stay upright through self-preservation, his legs and feet catching on anything and everything they could.

Surely the room hadn’t been filled with _that_ much furniture before they’d sat down.

John couldn’t- wouldn’t- take his eyes off Nuada, advancing the same speed as John until it was inevitable that he would be stopped by a wall.

He’d gone as far as the room would allow.

Fear moved like a living thing in his stomach, his nerves tingling with alertness and his breathing picking up that it fogged the glass in front of his face. 

John forced down a scared whimper, sure that should he make a noise, the thing behind Nuada’s eyes would become fully present.

“Take it” the words clicking in Nuada’s throat like it was bone dry but he remaining still, the thing inside his eyes perched on a precipice.

John twitched his head to the side and turned his face away as much as he could, still daring to deny whatever Nuada thought he was offering. His mind screamed at him ‘Don’t bare your throat!’ but the smell- it was too much-

It made his head swim and his legs wobble-

John couldn’t follow how fast everything moves after that. There was a noise of a sharp smash as the glass shattered on an overturned table – Nuada’s arm a blur from where he’d flung it- and at once pressed up against him.

Nuada growled at the edge of John’s right ear, forcing his skin to break out in bumps at the notion of some wild creature near his throat. The noise sounding deadly and constrained, as Nuada’s hand barricaded him on his side, trapping him against the wall.

But it was the heat that bathes John’s neck that had his brain shut down, sliding into the prey mentality and causing his body to lock up and be still.

It whispered- if he was still…he would live. Move, or make a noise…and he was dead.

For long seconds, Nuada stayed pressed up against him, letting out a rumble every few seconds and inhaling at John like he was a fresh scent on the wind, nose trailing the vein in his neck and tickling the fine hairs there.

Nuada swallowed, “Why-” Breath stuttered out of Nuada’s mouth as he continued, “do you deny my gift?”

His mouth, very slowly, drifted upward and John tracked it like a loaded gun, his eyes remained locked on it like something deadly might just be revealed.

Nuada let his nose travelled up, passing over his cheek and going briefly over his eyes before hovered over John’s own; giving small puffs of air in a regular pattern like Nuada wasn’t at all affected.

John nervously wet his lips and the response he got was like watching a cobra lean up to strike. The thing in Nuada’s eyes grew hard and savage, rushing forward like a physical force. It felt alien in its intensity…and John couldn’t look away.

Seconds ticked by like honey, sliding away from John.

“Say yes!” Nuada hissed, swaying in front of his face, the space between them no more than the length of a finger as Nuada remained tense and ready to strike.

“Say-”Nuada’s lips parted and John saw sharp canines peeking through the small gap. “-YES” Nuada growled.

Without his own will, John felt his body start to lean forward, eyes locked on the pale teeth and falling like Nuada was the snake that had charmed its owner.

He faintly remembered why he’d refused, the smell of the copper was making his head spin but his stomach growl. He felt ill and stupid with fear-

There was another glass there, coming up between them as if Nuada had clicked his fingers and it had come running. He didn’t question it, just watched as it floated up into view, the edge advertising a slow glide of red into the drink as if Nuada had pressed his lip to it and-

Glancing down into the mix, John could see that it was quite clear, the tint of the drink superficial. But it looked nice….if there was ever a way to describe it. It swirled like honey and water, a new touch of red swimming into the mixture.

Nuada’s pale hand wrapped around the glass and it _almost_ snapped John out of it. But the feeling of butter soft warmth wrapped around his head again, holding him tight.

And Nuada presented the glass once more.

He tried one last attempt, pressing his mouth tight in refusal, but Nuada needed to only touch the glass to his bottom lip and press….

The taste, a zing of copper, like sucking pennies and a bright and bitter flavour of cranberry and apples and-something so very deep and sweet that could have been death-

His throat vibrated in a pleased groan, spilling trickles of the drink past his mouth as his tried to express the joy of the taste. It was so- _so much_.

His vision grew ten times intense, colours bursting bright around the room and wobbling at the edges.

It was perfect.

He felt lighter and full, arms rising with strength that felt like he could pick Nuada up with ease and just- _hold the glass there._ And drink…and drink.

Nuada didn’t hurt him. Not even when John fought him as he took the glass away, just watched him with a fond expression, eyes filling with revelry.

John didn’t care- his stomach as an empty pit!- he needed that drink!-

Tugging at Nuada’s arm, John peered down at the empty glass, willing it to fill. He needed it filled, god his stomach. He was so hungry and Nuada- he was grinning at him- mouth parted and spilling a drop of red-

The glass thumped as he let go, the noise like a hammer to his hearing it made him jump- fear fighting back the haze a second too long that his senses were screaming RUN- and John abruptly had Nuada’s mouth latched onto his.

The flavour was strongest there and he tilted his head for better access, ignoring the digging of fingers into his ribs as Nuada’s crushing weight held him still. He parted John’s lips with little urgency and John gave in, angling to try and climb _inside_ Nuada.

It was like Nuada had took a handful of Johns veins, pulling them like a puppeteer and drawing him closer and closer-

He bucked against the hold- _fighting_ to gain ground so he could just get the inch closer to that taste- and Nuada responded, arms following the writhing of his body as John chased every dark wish that had ever cross his mind.

Nuada wasn’t making it difficult, angling them so that John was held securely in his hold and pressed them together for every potential point of contact. It was perfect and not at all enough-

He felt like he was cooking from the inside, the few drops of ice cold bliss only given in trickles from Nuada’s mouth.

John struggled, arms pushing at Nuada’s chest for room so he could move- and the kiss broke. Nuada reared back, making a drawn out moan that ground into a frustrated hiss.

His pupils were huge, but the outer rim colour too different from normal that John couldn’t help but notice.

- _RED-_

John’s heart stuttered in his chest, the haze slowly splintering around the edges. Red eyes- like the men in the alley-like- -

**Vampires**

His fingers clenched hard in panic, heart rocketing into his throat he near choked on it and his veins feeling like they were over-pumped with adrenaline they might erupt. But John used it, letting it flood him with new strength as his hands pushed more urgently to break free. “N-Nuada!”

He didn’t care that his voice was catching on his choking terror. He had to-

Nuada slid back in, speed so supernatural that John felt him lip on his neck before he realised _where_ he’d started kissing. And they weren’t any kisses John had experience before.

They dragged at the skin, pulling on it and pinched with quick bites that were more often than the softer kisses. Teeth were pressing at the skin of his neck and shoulders and all John could do was writhe, holding onto Nuada’s tense shoulders and moan, caught between the point of pain and pleasure.

It hurt and it lit up his body like the inside of a firework as it exploded.

But…it hurt- god- it-

He pushed hard, trying to remove Nuada from working on the sore area of skin. Didn’t he understand that the rough kisses were too painful, that-

“AH!” John yelled, hands clawing at Nuada’s fancy jacket to push him off, but the pain- it went deep and down into his nerves. He screamed again when it intensified, his world whiting out in brief agonizing flashes as Nuada’s head bobbing with the pain and chasing it down into his centre like it was _him_ this time who was trying to crawl inside.

“A-Nua-AH!” John screamed, the sound cutting off as pain tuned the rest of the world out. He felt like he was floating, eyes open wide and body unresponsive as the sounds that had been background noise drifted off like someone had hushed them. It was only this, the pain and the feel of Nuada’s jacket under his nails.

It was shock…it was his body feeling high for the first time…it was floating on the feeling of pureness …

He felt cold…sliding down as Nuada lowered him to the floor and not just letting him drop like a stone in a pond.

“You’ll be alright” a distorted voice assured him, too loud to be ignored. John wanted to tell it that no, he wasn’t.

He was cold…and he felt like he’d never be warm again. And darkness was the sea in which he swam.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the next chapter isnt even written yet so be prepared for a wait for the next few.


	19. Chapter 19

Heat prickled along his neck and body, lighting up his nerve ending and causing a full bodied twist to try and subdue it. It didn’t work.

John tried again, turning into the beds mattress to push away the discomfort. He felt prickly and sensitive, skin raw and singing with awareness. It hurt to move. To breathe. To-

“Ssshhhh” a cold hand pressed down on his forehead, not really stopping John from rolling around in the bed, but at least it was a small comfort.

Opening his eyes was not a good idea, the sea of colours made him gag and his stomach twist, so he shut them again with a sickly moan, not wanting to _feel-_

“-hat have you done!” someone whispered so low John almost missed it, his mind too jumbled up and confused.

Again the voice hissed, words too fast John didn’t catch any of it and Nuada was grumbling something back, his tone angered enough that John _didn’t want to be here_.

Everything was wrong, his stomach felt like a cement block as he clutched it to try and shift it to a softer shape.

But he was already falling into blackness again before the voices could **really** start arguing.

Hours later, for it couldn’t have been seconds that John remembered floating on too sensitive nerves, like a rock being flicked around at the bottom of the sea. His arms flopped feebly as he flexed the deadened muscles, the weight of them leaden as he struggled to make them move.

He felt like he was dying.

“John?” someone said in a bright burst of hopefulness to his left, and he didn’t even have the strength to look. Thankfully the person leaned over him, _her_ shadow cutting off the light in the room that  John went instantly blind.

He thought it was-

“It me, Liz. How are you feeling?” A cold hand pressed against his cheek, colder still than his own skin-and he flinched away. It hurt…

She hushed him soothingly, “it’s ok, I know”. A hard pressure rubbed up and down his arm, possibly Liz trying to comfort him.

He wanted to be sick. He wanted _out_ of this bed, he wanted- _God_ -he wanted _something_ and his body was curling up like a snake, ready to physically throw him out of the bed and yet-

“John, no” Liz said harshly and held onto his lower legs where, surprisingly, he’d managed to push them out towards the edge. “You stay in bed- you hear. I don’t think you’re strong enough to sit up at the moment-”

She sounded like she was talking to someone else and John braved it, cracking open his right eyes to see Nuada at the other side of the bed.

His heart tripled in his chest at the sight of him, mouth dry and _wanting_ -

“You see what you’ve done to him!” Liz growled and it cut across Johns want like a child hearing their parent raised voice. Aggression rippled across her tone and at once, John was feeling like crap again, not wanting to move and just melt into a puddle of none aching goo.

“I…I know. He-“ Nuada struggled to speak, to get across what he wanted to say…and John felt cheated that he couldn’t witness it.

“ _HE_ didn’t do anything!- It was you. Gods, how is this happening right now? Just… don’t touch him-” Liz finished unsurely, like she couldn’t guarantee that Nuada _wouldn’t_ do as she asked.

So that’s what was wrong. John could feel it, his thoughts turning in wrongness at the idea of anyone _but_ Nuada touching him. Even now, as Liz ran her hands over his legs to rearrange him, his body twitched in distress.

He didn’t want her. His mind screamed out louder that he shouldn’t want Nuada touching him either. But…but…

“I won’t” Nuada promised, and something in Johns chest cracked painfully in defeat.

It made his world swim in a galaxy of black and greys, a form of almost rest that lasted too long, and time passing with minimal notice. He only felt how cold he was without Nuada…

He was allowed to drift in his nothingness of existence. Sometimes Liz swam into his field of view, talking at him, rarely expecting john to answer, feeding him and keeping him clean. Hell, he was sure the bedding had been changed under him a time or two without him so much as stirring.

It had disorientated him to see new coloured sheets. And always, his stomach ached with hunger.

He’d never felt so ill in his life.

Nuada didn’t dare approach the bed, no matter how much John cracked and begged, pleading for something to take the discomfort away.  He was sure he’d asked for death once, whispering his last wish as if Nuada would grant it.

He hadn’t.

John could see the ever developing look on Nuada’s face, like it physically pained him to not come forward and end him. So he continued to ache and burn, fuelled with a flickering need to know _why._

Nuada had never had a problem hurting him in the past, so why was now any different.

Perhaps the difference was this feeling in his mind, the shadow of a figure at the end of his bed and the near constant craving of Nuada at the back of his throat.

Liz muttered explanations. It was the bite, the blood. That Nuada had almost killed him…that liz had been frantic with worry when she’d found him, half dead….

And always, Nuada stayed away, hovering out of reach and temptation and watching John slowly break apart.

Nuala briefly made an appearance, her hands while just as cold as her brothers, did manage to sooth whatever had awakened in him and blessedly, he slept.

He didn’t dream in this state. It was constant blackness, the press of it behind his eyes as his mind slowly clearing from the gloom.

When he was well enough to sit up by himself….something had changed. No, everything had changed.

The room wasn’t so cold anymore. His arms felt stronger. His mind sharper. He felt like he’d just woken from the best night’s sleep of his life….and his chest felt empty.

Liz and Nuada were again in his room, glaring at each other. Liz had her arms crossed, walking back and forth at the base of the bed and quietly fuming to herself.

Nuada was stood completely still; his fists clenched so hard the knuckles stood out. He was wearing different clothing to what John had seen him in last. Golden armour and bronzed leather were added to his uniform. It made him look like a general, ready for war.

“See!” Liz huffed, arms flopping out at her sides, “this is stupid, they cant-”

“They can and they will” Nuada answered her in a level tone, eyes tracking to John in the bed as he secured his hip sword to his weapons belt. “They will come. And I will defend this coven. As is my duty”.

Liz physically growled, hands balling into fists as if to reframe from placing them around Nuada’s throat. “We’ve only just dealt with the hunters!- the Quay Jin are only testing the defences. There’s no reason to retaliate to such an extreme”.

She flicked her hand out towards Nuada’s outfit, causing him to raise a brow at her.

“Last I checked,” Nuada answered, “Your faction wasn’t in charge of protecting the covens” Nuada didn’t raise his voice, but Liz shut her mouth with a click, arms defensively folding in an x formation over her chest again.

“Now…” Nuada finished, stepping towards Liz and John both, “how is our little human doing?”

John’s mouth went dry, his throat clenching as if parched. Nuada had only approached a few feet, but suddenly John wanted to launch himself across the bed. He was unsure if it would be to attack or escape, but the outcome would be the same, he would get nowhere fast.

“He’s fine, almost back to _normal_ ” Liz made the word sound strange, eyes running up and down John like she could suss out _what_ she meant by that.

“A-” John realised quickly talking _hurt._ He coughed, wetting the inside of his mouth and throat to try and join the conversation that was happening over his head. “-fine” he whispered, the tone far too high pitched.

He cleared his throat as quietly as he could, given it was scraped raw. _Had he been shouting?_ He didn’t remember it.

“Getting there” Liz summarised and Nuada nodded.

“Good. As I’ve explained-” he turned away from john and walked towards the door, making Johns heart pull painfully in his chest. “While he is to remain here, he will be sealed within these quarters until my return”

_Ok what!?_

John made a pathetic bleat, trying to roll towards the edge of the bed and fight against the cursed blanket that was wrapped around his legs. He got his feet on the floor and paused in a panic as pins and needles raced along the nerves. He didn’t know if he’d be able to stand up by himself...

Liz had followed Nuada towards the door; their voices shrinking as if conspiring to keep him there.

_Well to hell with that_

John flexed his thigh muscles, feeling a small burn of tiredness, but he could do this. Using a well placed side table, john rocketed up- -and collapsed.

 Sadly it was not back onto the comfy bed, but onto the carpeted floor, feeling the skin on his chin burn and scratch, suffering for his stupidity.

After only a few seconds, Ice cold hands took hold of him under each arm, levelling him back to lean against the bed and John refused to look them in the eyes, pride feeling wounded that he couldn’t even stand up on his own, never mind they’d just witnessed him faceplant onto the floor.

“John!” Liz scolded, roughly tilting his chin up to inspect the reddened skin underneath, “why the hell did you think that was a good idea?”

John didn’t answer her, keeping his eyes closed as his energy slowly slipped away again. He felt tired-eyes were feeling more sunken by the second. Quietly, he hated his body. How long had he been asleep?

_Why had he slept so long?_

John didn’t know, couldn’t drag his thoughts together properly, because Nuada had a hand rested on his wrist, holding him in place gently and it was making Johns thoughts scatter. It was grounding, all the aches dropping into nothingness as two of Nuada’s fingers rested over his pulse point.

Nuada must have noticed, because he stopped. His armour creaked as he stood up and rushed to the door, shutting it quietly behind him. He was gone.

The room was too quiet with none of Nuada’s presence to fill it and John felt miserable, his heart and chest hurting from its echoing emptiness.

“Its ok” Liz answered the wounded look John was fighting not to show, “I told you…it’s the bite. Its nothing to do with how you feel John, so don’t beat yourself up”.

She pitched him to his feet with little effort, advertising that inhuman strength and dropped him back into the safe and comfortable bedding.

“You stay here. I’ve been given-” she rolled her eyes in annoyance, “-leave to help you recover”. Instead of walking away, she pushed Johns legs back onto the bed and sat on the edge.

“ **No one** can find out what Nuada did John. Its-.he’s not supposed to have a ghoul”.

Instant anger boiled in john’s stomach, _he wasn’t a monster, or a pet- or anything to be ashamed of!_

“John” Liz interrupted him before he could even voice any of his thoughts, “as royalty, he’s not allowed that weakness. As a human….you’d be killed. And he cant help you. Hell-” Liz huffed “-I doubt he would want to. You’ve seen what he’s like with humans. But you…you’ve got a pure heart”.

Liz’s eyes strayed to his chest, right over where John’s heart might be. She looked envious, the look slowly breaking down as she dropped her head.

“Everyone can see it. Its kinda like-a glow. In your chest. And as-” she shrugged helplessly “you’ve found out. No one can resist it, not even the royals”.

“Liz-” John felt his throat try to close up in grief. _What the hell was happening to him-_

“I know” she whispered, nodding her head. “It was the same for me. A long time ago. The one who turned me, he used to say that he liked how I was. A **spit fire** of a woman”. She smiled, a lost look in her eyes.

“What happened?” John could guess. Nothing good came from a person getting that look about them.

Liz looked back up at him- and her eyes were bleeding. Small red drops were gathering at the corners and- Johns heart pounded in fright.  She noticed quickly and tilted her head back, pinching the skin between her eyes.

John didn’t know why his mind suddenly latched onto one singular thought….that monsters could cry. It made him feel guilty. He didn’t want to feel guilty for them. For-

“He died” she scoffed at the ceiling, head lowering and back to normal. “He was training me for something. And he liked to push and _push_ and once day-” she flicked her fingers and John saw the air twist sinisterly above them.

He understood instantly.

“I’m going to make sure that you get out of this John” Liz told him firmly. She squeezed his knee with her other hand and John thankfully he didn’t flinch. He wanted to. He’d seen the way she could sizzle the air.

He wanted to leave. His bed was still there, at home. Maybe if he escaped, got home and threw the covers over his head like so many children, he’d get away from the nightmares.

For the next few hours, John was ordered about, told to walk and exercise his legs, to eat and drink lots of water. Apparently, when Nuada had _drunk_ from him, he’d nearly killed him.

John tried not to focus on the why, or how it would feel seeing Nuada again when- if- he came back. He didn’t know where the prince had gone, but it gave him a bad feeling.

Liz could tell his mood was drooping and gave him a rundown explanation.

“You can feel it. It’s part of the bond I guess” Liz had tucked herself into the couches, pulling her feet up to lounge.

“Bond? No- liz- we don’t have a bond!” John flicked his hands down at himself as if to illustrate just how little Nuada and john had a ‘bond’.

“I’ve been telling you all night John. Nuada had to do something so you wouldn’t fade. He gave you a drop of blood to keep you alive while I did-a _miracle-_ to be frank”.

John was not comforted at all that _she_ sounded surprised she’d managed to save him.

With a growing sense of dread, John felt his chest tighten, compressing his lungs that felt too big for his body. “Liz” he gasped, flopping down onto the opposite chair to the couch. He couldn’t handle this. He needed out- needed-

“Nuada!” Liz exclaimed loudly, the tone a touch shocked and frightened. Instantly, Johns snapped his head around to look. Indeed, it was Nuada…bloody and looking wrecked. And smug.

Liz shot up off the couch and hovered…behind Johns seat. “What happened?”

“The quay-jin are not a problem anymore” Nuada answered, stepping past Johns chair like he hadn’t even seen him and pulling at the clasps of his ruined armour.

Some of it was heavy, chipping the rocky flooring as Nuada unclipped it and let it drop, uncaring about the damage that followed his path to his bedroom.

Liz didn’t follow him with her eyes-not like john did. No, when he turned his head to watch Nuada leave, Liz gave his shoulder a tap, stopping his legs from fully tensing to make him rise.

“Don’t John. You can’t go near him yet. Not- not when he’s like this. Just stay away from him and you’ll be fine. The blood should be out your system by tomorrow night”. she sighed in a defeated manner.

“I don’t think it’s safe for _me_ to be here right now” Liz gave John a sad smile, “Just remember. Stay out of reach and you’ll be fine. He knows not to make the same mistake twice”.

She didn’t get to see the hurt flash across his face, already heading for the door and shutting it quietly behind her. John tried not to feel sick with realisation, that he was a mistake.

That this- _thing-_ this feeling of attachment to Nuada was a mistake.

He knew it was…. But it still hurt to recognise it as one.

Feeling sorry for himself, he lay down on the couch as he’d done the first night, crowding close to the pillows to get comfortable. He didn’t want to face the truth.

Funnily, now that Nuada was back, he felt relaxed. Knowing he was there.

Grumbling in anger, John rubbed his head against the pillows and shut his eyes, forcing his mind clear. He didn’t want this. He didn’t want Nuada.

And it was Nuada, who was suddenly there behind him, like a cold draft – with an icy hand gripping John’s left ankle.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta ready PUFFF who needs one. I got my own problems and if you see one- YOU LET ME KNOW AND I'LL KNOCK IT OUT- the fic. :)

With a start, John sucked in a gulp of air and pulled his leg back, twisting out of the hold and feeling his lungs contract and his ribcage creak. Nuada looked as deadly as ever, small specs of dried blood on his skin and golden eyes that were almost shimmering in their intensity- glaring down _into_ John.

It was mesmerising, the flash of gold in the iris, the light catching them just at right the right angle and highlighting this marvellous colour. It was like watching painted glass crack in sunlight-

Nuada put pressure behind john’s legs- creeping closer- and pushed them off the couch.

It broke the spell as John flopped sideways ungracefully, legs now on the floor as he was left in an awkward sprawl. Nuada sat where Johns legs had been and smirked, flicking his hair over his shoulder.

It appears that the prince wanted a seat. Right next to john.

Remembering Liz’s warning John scooted back and away from Nuada, ignoring the sideways stare he got from the prince. He was told to stay away.  He wasn’t about to get bitten again, not when his mouth still went dry at the very thought of-

“Human” Nuada interrupted.

 _Ah,_ john thought, _back to this again._

“You’re almost back to normal” Nuada summarised, “soon you will leave this place and return to your clan. But before you go, I will make this fact _very_ clear”.

John knew what Nuada was about to say, it didn’t change the response of his body, his stomach tightening in dread and his nerves tensing like a spring, ready to react to whatever threat might come.

Nuada turned fully to him, and John was caught by the colour again. There was a command there, to not look away- don’t **dare** look away or else death was imminent.

“ **You will not speak of this to a soul”** _a voice quivered and it made the skin between his eyes ache._ **“If questioned, you will state that you tried to escape and upon attempting this, I detained you. You were injured. You will only repeat this. Do you understand?”**

John nodded rapidly, the only part of his body that he was able to move. The words were in his head and rolling over him. It was all he could do not to be crushed under the pressure.

Hell- he could hear himself- faintly letting pained sounds out. Humans weren’t meant to feel this!-

With the breaking of eyes contact, Nuada turned away causing John to visibly sag forwards, eyes dropping and arms flopping uselessly to try and stable him. What had Nuada _done_?!

“Be still human” a hand landed as gently as a bird on his knee and John- froze- “the danger has passed”.

It was like a wave of cool calmness flowed directly into his mind, washing down over his back and arms and he settle, sliding back against the seat and not fighting the feeling of relaxation. He was safe. He was calm. He was…supposed to be doing something. Saying something…

A brush of air touched his cheek and john blinked against it, eyelashes feeling too sensitive to touch.

“Human” Nuada grumbled _far_ too close, “if I did not take you for such a fool, I would think you a trap”

John could feel the hidden danger in the words. The what if. The possibility that had John been a trap, planted as bait, he wouldn’t have lived long enough to even think about what Nuada would do to him.

“You…are tempting _human_ ” the prince sighed, eyes tracking down to Johns neck, his eyebrows bending down in anger as John pushed his hand out against his chest, stopping his advance. When he looked too taught- ready to bat Johns hand away, John did the only tactical move he could.

Throwing any thought of grace out the window, John arched and slid down to the edge of the seat, affectively escaping Nuada’s looming and gaining freedom to the opposite couch, using it to shield him from Nuada who looked rather unimpressed with the move.

“Nuada-you-you heard what Liz said” John stuttered, using the furniture to keep the illusion of cover as Nuada tracked him around.

It was a game of cat and mouse, each step John took to escape only made Nuada follow faster. Made the cat creep closer to the mouse as it looked frantically for a way to escape.

Ice shot through his chest when Nuada gave up any pretence of patience, vanishing in a blur to snatch up Johns flailing arms and pull him tight to his chest with a growl.

“HUMAN” Nuada said through clenched teeth, his jawbone and muscle defined with how hard he held himself. “You are only amusing in how simplistic you are, but remember who you stand in attendance with”

As if john could forget.  Nuada was a perfect example of what vampire royalty should be. Beautiful, deadly, high borne, arrogant and proud. Able to command the focus of the room and know how to rule and control the clans.

He was courteous…to a point. And cruel. Like an olden day aristocrat.

“Who is this? And why is he in the princes chamber?” a stern voice asked, interrupting them.

They sprung apart, regardless that they weren’t even standing that close, the sound of an authoritative voice enough to cause such a reaction. John didn’t know the man’s face, but his clothes told him everything he needed. It was the king.

Nuada was deathly silent behind John when he turned to look at him, eyes jumping back and forth between them as if he couldn’t believe he was presented with such a situation. That it had never occurred to him that the king might intervene…

“Hello…sir. I’m John. John Myers?” John responded, trying to hold onto his nerve. He’d never met anyone in his life that was particularly important, so he didn’t know how to react to _royalty_.

When the king merely raised a busy brow at him, John felt the nerves in the base of his stomach start to quiver.

“I’m from the BPRD clan of New York” John explained and straightened his posture when he felt himself lagging in the total silence that continued.

“And why is there an emissary here?”

“King Balor- I was discussing with the clan’s and-”

“That is not the correct procedure. Nuada is to only become involved when there is a dispute. _Nuala_ is the one who is to conduct these meetings”. Balor looked around the room as if searching for his daughter and John felt both himself and Nuada draw back at the look he levelled at them.

He did not look pleased.

“And where is Nuala?”

From the piercing glint in the old king’s eyes, he could tell that both John and Nuada knew of her whereabouts.

John pressed his lips together, feeling distress pulsing in his veins, and glanced at Nuada, hoping he would find something there that could solve this new issue.

Nuada was straight faced and stood with perfect posture. Even John could see he was trying to conceal his emotions by just- not showing any of them.

They were on their own…and the king was waiting for an answer.

But…where _was_  Nuala. If it was meant to be her here, they why leave-

Behind his eyes, John felt the press of a distant memory bursting in a confusing jumble to the front of his mind. The touch of her cold hand as she helped him get over his – Nuada induced- sickness.

She’d _allowed_ it. John had felt that ugly hunger in her, felt it tickle along the fine hairs of his face as she pushes away his pain. She’d wanted to devour him as much as Nuada did. But she hadn’t….

Instead, she’d left him with Nuada. To- _what-_  to tempt him? No- to teach him. To show her brat of a brother where restraint was needed.

And he’d held out- for a time. He’d taken a taste of the pureness in John and _something_ had woken up for it. A hunger to swallow all that brightness into the blackness of his core, and to sooth it.

To value it. And protect it.

John slowly let the pain of being dangled as bait ease out in a breath through his teeth, ignored by the king and Nuada. To them, he wasn’t important. One human among the many.

But Nuala knew better, she knew what change John could bring… _if_ he was let in.

Nuala had wanted Nuada to get attached to a human.

John had to give it to her. Even though she might not be next in line to rule, she played the chess pieces as well as any master.

She’d left him there- to go to Abe.

With building certainty, John could now feel a pressure pulsing in his head, his ears starting to fill with dead air. It made his head feel like a paper weight, bobbing lazily on his shoulders as he heard her old words trickle into the centre of his mind, as if forced to the present.

**_“Abe is a…a dear friend of mine”_ **

**_-_ **

**_“We are close. To hear that he was in a shooting-”_ **

**_-_ **

**_“But you saved him. And I know Abe; he would have wanted to thank you”_ **

**_-_ **

John tried to fight against the pull within his mind, as if someone had attached a rope around him and was pulling him through muddy waters.

**_“Due to my …friendship with Abe, I will be able to speak on your behalf at the trial”_ **

“SsStop” John grunted in pain, teetering on the edge of falling. This wasn’t right, he wasn’t meant to be thinking this- it felt wrong- spilling out things that should only remain inside.

Nuada made a choked off sound behind him, and he was freed- slumping down to his knees and gasping in gulps of air. He didn’t need to look up at the king. He could feel the raw power and anger physically vibrating in the room.

The king had pulled all of Nuala’s secrets out of Johns head, and he was pissed.

“Fathe-” Nuada cut off sharply and ended with the noise of a thousand panes of glass shattering. It brought up John’s hands to cover his ears and curl up on the floor at the noise, watching Nuada as he slumped from where he’d been thrown across the room.

He looked dead, lying in the broken pieces of the cabinet. And it made Johns heart ache.

And he ached _so much_. For Nuada. For Nuala. For what was coming for her….

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have nothing NOTHING wrote for the next chapter so u guys need to gimme a little time to think up something. As usual, send me love cos i have an idea on how i want this ending to play out.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nxt chap half done. yes I READ ALL UR COMMENTS N I LOVE U ALL!!

The king had not stayed to watch his fallen son. He’d about turned- regal clothing barely moving as he left, his voice sharp and foreign- angry as he snarled down the corridors.

John didn’t feel himself move, but it was sudden when he felt the press of the prince’s armour, cold under his hands. The bumpy features of it were somewhat jarring as John grabbed at Nuada’s arm, shaking hard to try and rouse him. It wasn’t working.

The prince’s head lolled side to side in a parody of shaking, denying john. He was _almost_ desperate enough to chance tapping fearfully at his cheeks…but decided he didn’t actually want Nuada to wake up to him doing that.

He’d lose his hands.

“Nuada! Wake up!” John shook him hard enough to roll his head to the side, the angle all wrong. And the longer Nuada stayed down, the stronger the fear in him grew, trying to choke him in its intensity.

He felt the creeping of hysteria try to crawl over his skin, the fine hairs lifting in dread. Without Nuada, John was vulnerable. Without Nuada- anyone or thing could walk through the doors and snatch him up, a tasty snack for the taking.

His brain projected what that might be like, the feel of ice in the air as death opened the doors- the cold hands wrapping around his neck-

-the doors creaked, a line of black appearing as they parted and pressed open- and John had a new flood of fear so strong he actually crushed himself back against Nuada. As if his sleeping form could keep the demons away.

There was a sharp hiss and a smell of burning and the door slammed shut again - the weight of itself enough to hold them back.

Whatever was trying to get in didn’t like the door, the metal scorching it-warning it to keep back.

John was not appeased. As if one stumble was enough to really stop these types of monsters.

As if to prove his point- the doors moved again, something ramming against them with a pained howl-and pulling away. It was forcing the doors open wider and wider, to the point that John knew the weight would carry them all the way open.

And then nothing would save him.

“Nuada!” John urged sharply- tapping rapidly at the cold cheeks- _he had to wake up._

Another cry struck up behind him and John felt the tiny hairs on his neck lift in terror. It sounded pained and victorious.

He had to get out.

Looking around, he couldn’t see any other doors. No ornate patterns or elongated frames, no windows to crawl out of….nothing.

He glanced back to Nuada- certain that his life was now in this very unconscious beings hands, and shook him as hard as he could. It wasn’t much. His armour weighed a tone, enough that John didn’t try again least he tire himself out too quick.

But- Nuada’s hip sword was there, the left fingers of the prince’s hand laid over the hilt as if to try and draw it from the scabbard.  And it was Johns only hope- even as the doors crashed open behind him and something tripped into the room with gleeful stupidity.

John didn’t think twice- he grabbed it and pulled- nearly nicking Nuada as the weight of the sword drew his arm down. He had to use his body’s momentum to get the sword around and up, swinging it in a wild arc- and saving his own life.

The thing that had been battering at the doors looked like every monster come to life. Its teeth were too long- its face misshaped and the smell of it made John gag. It had come rushing towards them in a bumbling mess- overturning one of the chairs and come right into Johns range as he’d turned.

The slice caught the creature from its right lower rib up towards it left shoulder, cutting through skin and bone like paper, severing the upper half of the chest and allowing it to slide off its frame and smack wetly into the floor.

The vampire gurgled in pain, letting out one final pained breath and lay still.

John choked out a frightened cry, watching as the creature’s sickly skin started to turn grey at the cuts edge- the damage spreading until it was engulfed in ash and embers, crumbling in on itself in a heap.

Covering his mouth, it didn’t stop John from crying out again- watching this unnatural occurrence. It wasn’t supposed to be like this- this was _real- **he wasn’t supposed to be here!.** _

John didn’t realise that he’d been muttering-ohgodoh no oh god- under his breath until something kicked his ankle weakly. It frigh, John lost the grip on the sword and it dropped with a loud rattle.

It was Nuada, blearily looking up at John with downturned eyebrows. His eyes- those now startlingly golden and _open_ eyes- dropped to the mess of ashes on the floor and then to his sword. It was sudden-how he realised he was unarmed- because he lent forwards with a pained gasp and plucked the fallen weapon back up. And he gripped it so tightly, the blades leather bound handle creaked- and he looked up at John- like he meant …to use it.

“Nu-Nuada!” John couldn’t describe how grateful he was- _he was awake-_ “-they-they came in- they” John was breathless with relief- struggling to get his words to form the way he was so desperately trying. He needed to tell Nuad-

The prince came up off the floor in a blur-hands curled like claws as he grabbed John by the hair and turned his head back roughly.

“Human!” he growled- and John instantly froze- if he was still and quiet, maybe-

“Human” Nuada growled again, hand holding his sword low to his side, but he looked furious- enraged with John to the point of incensed. “Who are you to touch my weapon?” Nuada raged- swaying suddenly that he might tip over and the grip in Johns hair making him follow the move- but he kept his feet.

“I-Nuada-I-stopped it- i-saved you li-FE!” John cried out at the end- the hairs on his head almost being ripped out with how intense Nuada’s hold became. “It broke in- aafter- before!- and you were down” John urged and damned if he was going to die now- _not now, not after this- after everything!-_

“I saved your life!” john repeated more confidently, becoming braver with how Nuada’s eyes cleared in understanding. The golden irises dropping to the now ashy creature on the floor, and Nuada slowly released John hair.

He didn’t apologies- he was too proud for that and John wasn’t going to waste his breath with how angry he was right now. They needed to get out- Nuala- the king-

“Nuada-“ John started-

“I know” Nuada hissed- quietly- but he was thinking, his eyes jumping around the room as if trying to find the answer.

“Prince” John tried again- “We can’t wait, Nuala needs us. If he gets to her first- he’ll kill her. He’ll kill them all”

And deep in the centre of John’s being- it hurt to think of that. This think of Abe and Nuada’s love being dashes to bloody pieces- torn apart by the kings wrath.  

Nuada grabbed John forearm and stepped in close- halting anything else he might say as he stared down at him. Finally he nodded- “We must move quickly” Nuada said- as if in warning.

Opening his mouth to ask ‘how quickly could they move’ Nuada wrapped his spare arm around Johns waste and pulled him close, hugging him to his chest and making John feel the press of his cold armour through his clothes.  

John didn’t know what that said about his survival instinct that he relaxed into the hold- it made it easier- made the feeling of pressure in his ears and head ease as-everything melted….

It started with a bright burst of light, John saw the room sinking around them, Nuada’s hold growing ten times in strength as the ground plummeted away into a fading dot- the light overpowering everything. It hurt his eyes but he couldn’t look away!- it was-it wasn’t possible.

He turned to catch Nuada’s eyes, to try and _think_ \- and it wasn’t just the room that was different.

Nuada himself had changed. No longer outstandingly beautiful. Now he looked …bleak- his hair ivory and floating as if underwater. Even his skin was different, bleached bone white and shallow,  a ghost given flesh. No- a wraith. The prince’s fingers felt like bone as they dug into Johns sides, holding him and stopping John from dropping down into the vast nothingness.

That’s what it was- this place was empty-they were passing through somewhere that was void of…everything. It was nil- Nuada was dragging them through a blank space not yet touched by existence-

The odd feeling of pressure grew as the world took shape around them, colours bleeding through like a painting, the sounds of people talking in the distance and cars honking growing louder and louder-

“Hush, it is over” Nuada breathed into Johns ear and it snapped him back to the present. He’d been moaning in distress- his fear slipping through before he could even register it.

They were back in the real world.

And Nuada…still hadn’t stepped away. Now, he rubbed his fully fleshed out hands over Johns shoulder, soothing him. He was too close, the smell of berries invading Johns nose and making the muscles in his through ache.

He had so many questions- _what had happened- how did they get here-_

And he needed to step back- they were so short on time.

“Nuada…we need-”

“To go. Yes, I know” Nuada agreed, and released John, letting him step back- and jarring his back as he collided with…his nightstand.

John turned abruptly, eyes raking in the familiar room. They were here. In his home.

“Nuada!” John said sharply, and when he turned, he caught the flair of Nuada’s hair as he escaped, forcing John to chase after him in his own _home._ Finally, he was home- but-

“Nuala and your Abraham have sought to stay close to your home dwelling human- to be on hand should you return here. They have found safety in the…sewers of this city” Nuada finished in veiled disgust. As if the thought of his sister down there sickened him.

“O-oh” John stuttered, feeling a loss for words.

Now that they were here, he didn’t really know what they’d do. Nuada had been KO’d by the king once. There was no telling if the second time would go any better.

“What’re you going to do?” John asked, following Nuada up to his front door that Nuada deftly unlocked without needing the key.

The question stopped Nuada abruptly, and he didn’t turn around when he answered, just spoke through the veil of his hair.

“I’m going to stop this- I _will_ protect Nuala!” it was said with great conviction, Nuada’s voice heavy with it. “And I am going to kill the king”.

“Oh” John answered back stupidly.

Nuada puffed out a defeated little laugh, amused with John.

“Upon his death, Nuala and I will be appointed royal leaders of the throne” Nuada explained taking the stairs two at a time down to the main level.

John skipped down them after him, “Bu-but, before-”

Nuada turned on him, his face coming dangerously close to Johns. “Before-” he hissed, “I was distracted and hesitated to strike at him. But now, I will be ready”.

Self-preservation made John swallow the knot of fear in his throat and nod. “He’ll be waiting for you” John explained and this brought a deadly smile to Nuada’s lips.

“Oh, he will not expect what is to come…little human”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> did they teleport? i'm sure they could do that in the game ----so boom- there


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BATTLE!!  
> also i thinks we got 1 more chapter left? maybe 2. I'll see.

John followed Nuada through the night-time streets of New York, the prince blurring down side alleys upon the noise of approaching people. John was silent thankful, He knew Nuada wouldn’t hesitate to kill any stray passerby who caught sight of him as not even Nuada could get away with looking human. He was too…intense, too ethereal in his beauty. 

People would notice him and it was a price that would cost them.

John put his head down when passing a couple cuddling at the corner, possibly saying goodnight. They didn’t even look up, so he tugged the collar of his jacket up and carried on, only slightly surprise that Nuada hovered at the edge of the next building, ensuring he didn’t lose John in the rush. 

Finally- only down the block and around the shop corner -opposite to the street that John had met Abe- that Nuada sunk down to the ground as if to kneel…and pulled up the lid of a man hole. 

The smell of wet earth and rot crept up on John quickly, making him stuff his sleeve over his noise. He was not alone in the reaction, as Nuada’s nose twitched and his lip curled. 

Neither of them were going to enjoy this. 

With a regal twist of his hand, Nuada waved John forward first and only smirked when John muttered a curse under his breath. 

The rungs of the ladder were ice cold as John took his time going down, Nuada holding the lid open to give him some light from the street lamps…but it was quickly disappearing, forcing John to continue down into the absolute blackness. 

It was a shock when his foot struck solid ground and he tentatively took a few steps back, edging his foot first and lifting his arms, trying to feel for a wall or-

-Something landed hard next to him, splashing dirty water onto his pants leg- and John flailed- smacking his arm hard against the bar of the ladder and- something shushed him. 

It-was Nuada. It seemed he hadn’t wanted to take his time like John had, and merely leapt from the top of the opening. 

“You asshole, I jumped out of my skin” John grunted, trying not to let his heart continue its rapid hammering. It wasn’t slowing down, the dark too intense. He couldn’t see anything and he couldn’t feel anything- 

He reached out towards Nuada, and thankfully he didn’t snap john’s fingers when he clumsily grabbed his shoulder, hoping to be steered in the blackness.

“Stay close human, there is a smell of death in the air” Nuada explained and took the first few steps slow, until John trusted him enough to keep pace. 

The further they travelled, the closer John realised where they were. It was the same place Abe had brought John to the first time. The walls giving way to newer brickwork, the dirty corridors slowly looking cleaner.

It seemed even vampires didn’t like to live in mess.

And John swiftly realised what Nuada had sensed when they’d dropped down….

One of the corridors that John knew lead into Abe’s home had something wrong with it. A black scorch marred one of the walls and at the base, the crispy bubbling of ash in the corner, embers still caught up in the heap.

Nuada didn’t slow down to explain and John didn’t need him to. He knew what it was.

He just hoped it wasn’t one of the others. He wasn’t brave enough to ask Nuada if he could tell….

The noise of raised voices made them move faster, the lights along the corridor glowing with weak light letting them race along towards the main area. 

This was it, this was where John had met broom and Liz-hellboy and Abe- and he couldn’t walk in there, not if they were too late.

It was Nuada who opened the door, breaking the handle with a sharp twist and forcing them straight into chaos.

Hellboy was snarling, the sound so loud and animalistic it was made John press back against the wall. It was the deep, guttering sound of rage so wild, you’d only find it upon meeting something that intended to kill.

But the smell that hit him straight in the face was so much worse than the sewer. 

John gagged-covered his mouth- and curled a hand around his stomach to keep it all in. Hellboy currently had his clawed red hand buried in one of the royal guard’s chests, the other glowing demonically and not recognisable as a human hand. John could see the faint tips of talons; the ends dipped black and pointed like daggers.

Hell- John couldn’t even recognise him- he looked insane with rage- his skin shifting like it was boiling and writhing with a constrained transformation. 

And the King stood at the centre of the room, chin tilted high and protected by a circle of four guards, all brandishing spears with silver tips. It was collision of noise, hellboy snarling as the guards roaring back in challenge, jabbing their spears at Hellboy to try and find a way to get past the powerful arms. Each time the spears touched Hellboys reddened skin, the smell of burnt flesh grew, caused it to blister and sizzle.

Liz was stood a few feet out the way of Hellboys back, her hands spread out to her sides, the palms holding small rolling balls of red and yellow amber. They burned bright like tiny suns, the molten texture dripping to the carpeted floor and turning it to black sludge.

She was making the air around her tremble- 

And broom sat in the armchair to her right- ignoring the overturned side table as he sipped an empty tea cup and hummed happily. 

Nuala and Abe…weren’t there….but John could see a very fine piece of cloth, - Nuala’s shawl -draped over the edge of the broken arm of the sitting chair. 

Nuada saw it the same instant John did and as one, they turned towards the king who had refused to recognise their entrance in the room. 

The king spoke- the sentence long and flowing with strange words- and Liz spat, the ground where the spittle landed sizzling, “Bullshit- you don’t get to make that decision for them!”

The temperature rocketed up and sweat popped out over John’s brows. Liz was getting ready to do something big. And John was quite sure he was about to die. 

“Wait!” John shouted, arms out as if he could force them apart and stop the fighting. 

One of the king’s guards turned, spear raised and he snarled- a deep and angry growl. It was like looking into the mouth of a lion as it yawned, long- teeth-sharp and deadly, a striking display that made you just that inch more nervous. 

…And Nuada snarled back.

It brought Johns head up in alarm, watching Nuada as he folded himself forwards in front of John, pushing him back and behind him.

He was challenging…

And the king… finally turned to them.

“Father” Nuada started in a much calmer voice, sounding sure of his place in a room that was seconds away from imploding. 

“Chan eil fàilte ort!” the king spoke, his voice so strong John involuntarily took a step back. “Tha thu air fàiligeadh ann a bhith a 'cumail do phiuthar” The king continued, hand lifting and the cloth of his gown flowing as he waved Nuada away, face turned in disgust. 

 

“I have not failed” Nuada stepped forward, hand landing on the edge of his belt...close to his hip sword. “Nuala has chosen to seek her path, and if it leads here....so be it”. 

 

“You....” The king finally chose to translate his words for the benefit of the rooms understanding. “You have both failed me” he finished, and his head dropped the same instance his hand did, right onto the handle of his sword. 

 

The metal scraped as it pulled free of the scabbard and the guards switching formation to form a half circle around the king to protect his back.

 

“Father” a softer voice urged, and everyone –stopped.

 

The king turned slowly, as Nuala stood framed in the door way, her face stern and forbidding as abe hovering anxiously behind her.

 

She didnt need to storm in and stamp her feet, no...she glided, her frame perfectly upright as she drew closer to the king and his guards. None of them turned to raise a weapon against her.  
Thankfully, abe hid himself within Hellboy and liz’s shadow, the two of them shoulder to shoulder and blocking abe from any attack.

 

John felt rather useless as Nuala lifted her hand and very gently, placed it on her fathers arm, slowly lowering his raised weapon. And nuada joined them, hand falling away from his belt and entering the small family circle. 

 

With a trickle, words drifted up out of their group, soft-broken and hurtful sounding that caused nuala’s eyebrows to drop in pain and dismay. 

 

And she turned to look at john , staring past nuada’s shoulder and locking him in place with her eyes.... her heartbreaking determined eyes.

 

She was crying now, the sound low, almost whimpering, but she did not stop her hand from lifting off her fathers arm and drawing up over his shoulder to drape around his neck, hand delicately landing on his right cheek, so gently it quivered on contact.

 

From where he was standing, John could see a pearly tear of red start to run down her cheek, the motion slow as the blood cooled. She’d never looked so human- her face sorrowful.

 

“Father” she began, voice sounding so utterly broken that Nuada stepped forward also, wrapping an arm around the kings waste and drawing his bowed face closer to the kings. It was a beautiful, their small circle of remorse, that they had come to this. 

 

The room remained deadly silent, enough to hear her breathe stuttered in her chest as she drew in a deep inhale and she repeated, “Father” again. 

 

The pure stregth of her pain made something inside Johns chest ache in sympathy.

 

“I have felt your ambition.. but this-” her hand flexed in torment. “This deep and nested need for power and title” her voice was still wavering on the edge of breaking, her hand struggling to remain in contact with the kings skin as she stared up into his face.

 

John could see how it twitched, the motion a quivering mess of agony that he could have easily assmed she was in physical pain from it. 

 

And yet she was still composed, grief slicing lines into her perfect skin, but she was regal. She was the angel that artists sculpted, faces upturned in anguish as they fell from gods. 

 

“You-” Nuala broke off, her hand finally dropping away from the kings cheek as if she couldnt touch it for another second. “You!” she hissed lowly, words filling with hate. “are empty”.  
The grief was no longer breaking her. It burned in her eyes, in her stern stance and in her hardened voice when she continued. 

 

“Power is something a king has and the unworthy want. Strange that this is all that consumes your heart”

 

She blinked, so unnatural from her sudden stern manner that it startled John. But- it had been the signal that Nuada had been waiting for. 

 

With a sharp twist, Nuada twirled his sword in hand, jamming it in and up into the kings side. The guards were either too slow or too dumbfounded to react, as they stumbled back upon the roar that erupted out of the king’s elongated mouth.

 

It wasn’t a sound that had ever passed humans lips. 

 

It broke high like a bell, splintering until it became ten, turning painful in pitch that John had to cover his ears. Trying to see what was happening, John slitting his eyes, hugging his head and slowing pushing himself back out of the chaos. 

 

The king was no longer his own image. He blurred and shifted, his shape growing up and out until a sluggish monster took his place- Nuada sword effectively imbedded in its centre.  
It wailed again and John heard the tell tale sound of glass shattering. It looked like it was trying to pull the sword free, even as the wound started to hiss and smoke. 

 

Whatever Nuada’s sword was made of…it was an effective weapon against it.

 

Its arms spread until it rearranged itself into a tentacle, its legs following suit until it could move itself away from them. One slick tendril curled around the handle of Nuada’s sword and tugged- and john held his breath, hoping- but the sword stayed put. 

 

He let out the breath, allowing the dread to flee and looked towards Nuada. He was smug, watching as the creature failed repeatedly to remove his weapon.  
And Nuala…looked broken. And John understood.

 

In order for that thing to be there, in place of the king, the king must be…

 

“Oh” john gasped, his heart filled with her pain, “-oh god- Nuala-” 

 

She turned her head towards him in slow motion and saw his pain, his raw emotions for her, for her loss. For what it meant.

 

“You are something truly special John Myers” she spoke weakly, and turned back to the creature. It happened in one breath, as she leapt with deadly grace, landing on the things chest and pulling the sword-not out- but down with her momentum.  
The fall opened up a vertical slit in the centre of the creature’s chest. It had no air to scream in agony as it was torn open, sliding back and lying still on the floor. 

 

The blood that spilled from it was black oil, building at the edge of Nuala’s shoe and then spilling over. She remained rooted to the spot, staring down at the thing that had killed her father. 

 

“My lord!” a guard moved forward- towards Nuada-and dropped to his knee. As one, the rest of the remaining guards followed. “As surviving heirs, the title of ruler shall fall to Queen Nuala and yourself. My prince…my king…we follow your rule”.

 

Nuada looked to be considering beheading the man. They’d followed that imposter right to the den of an ally of their court. They’d known that Nuala, their princess would be put to death. For her love of a nosferatu. And they’d not questioned it. 

 

“Brother” Nuala urged, walking a black trail over to Nuada. “It is our time now. We must not waste it”. 

 

Their hands joined in a gentle touch, holding on. “Yes sister” Nuada answered, eyes peeking over Nuala’s shoulder to stare into John. “We shall have our time. For the sake of our people, we will be stronger than ever before”.

 

That sounded vaguely threatening, John’s instincts decided and he began to back away. One of the guards head came up, noticing his retreat, and in a blur of motion, appeared behind John, stopping his escape.

 

“Sire, what is to be done about this human. He has seen too much”

 

“Leave that one to me” Nuada commanded, turning with his sister and leaving her side to come up to john, gradually invading his personal space until his breath tickled Johns face. “He is mine”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> any errors, let me know so i can fix.


End file.
